Five standout development initiatives honoured at 2024/25 UEFA Grassroots Awards

The latest edition of the UEFA Grassroots Awards has honoured five inspiring programmes from Denmark, Germany, Norway, Poland and Switzerland, each using football as a powerful tool to develop players, promote participation and strengthen communities.

These projects highlight how grassroots football can nurture talent, support personal growth, and ensure the game is accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.

The UEFA Grassroots Awards are annually awarded to clubs and projects that have impacted the game across Europe. Each award recognises excellence in delivering inclusive, innovative and sustainable grassroots football, and this year's winners typify the contributions being made across the continent, from getting children active to providing a welcoming environment for players with disabilities.

All five winners attended a ceremony at UEFA’s Grassroots Conference in Sopot, Poland, on 9 April, where they were presented with their awards, with short films showcasing their powerful stories.

Find out more about these inspiring projects and the impact they’ve made below.

Best Professional Club Initiative

VfL Bochum (Germany)

VfL Bochum’s Blau-Weißer Bewegungsraum initiative encourages children to spend more time enjoying movement.

Research shows 80% of children across Germany fail to meet recommended movement targets and the club have taken action, putting on 60- to 90-minute sports and activity sessions in schools and kindergartens.

"Our aim is a sustainable approach," explains club movement coordinator Angelina Biela. "We want to ensure coaches are helping children lots of times, not once a year."

Silver award: Diósgyöri VTK (Hungary)
Bronze award: FC Groningen (Netherlands)

Best Amateur Club

Smørås IL (Norway)

Placing their club at the centre of the community, Smørås IL are honoured for their efforts in encouraging people of all ages to find purpose in life.

"We offer activities from cradle to grave," says the amateur club’s deputy chairman Ok-Hini Rønning, with those initiatives including kindergarten football, an after-school programme, a senior café and much more.

"We believe we can contribute through football activities, but also through projects outside of football. We help our members become caring, happy people."

Silver award: Kajaanin Haka (Finland)
Bronze award: FC Kvartali (Georgia)

Best Education Initiative

Mobile Academy of Young Eagles (Poland)

Launched in 2018, the Polish Football Association's (PZPN) Mobile Academy of Young Eagles project supports children’s football coaches and teachers by providing demonstrations and workshops across 16 regions.

The initiative provides free, open training sessions, where presentations of training drills are made to the coaches, as well as support within grassroots clubs, with around 40,000 children benefitting each year.

"Every day, people come to training sessions or take part in workshops," explains Mateusz Rozwadowski, coordinator at PZPN. "After seven years it's something we're really proud of."

Silver award: Welcome Program Youth Coaches (Netherlands)
Bronze award: A Hora dos Super Quinas (Portugal)

Best Participation Initiative

Play More Football (Switzerland)

The Swiss Football Assocation are rewarded for their innovation, with Play More Football encouraging small-sided games with no referee, league table or scores – a response to damage previously done by poor behaviour from coaches and parents on matchdays.

A combination of 3v3, 4v4 and 6v6 formats has improved participation, while supervising matches without referees has helped children "develop personality" and leadership skills, according to Raphael Kern, head of the grassroots football department at the Swiss FA.

On removing league tables and scores for under-11s, Kern explains: "Coaches see the advantages. Now, there are no parents or coaches shouting."

Silver award: Get Movin' (Denmark)
Bronze award: Gira Megacracks (Spain)

Best Disability Initiative

A part of the team (Denmark)

A part of the team is recognised for producing a welcoming environment for young people with ADHD, autism and other hidden disabilities.

Launched in 2023, the Danish Football Association (DBU) programme has worked with 43 clubs and 550 children across Denmark, encouraging sessions that meet individual needs.

Mikkel Alleslev Havgry, project leader at the DBU, explains: "There were a lot of clubs doing something but the overall approach was not organised. We recognised those clubs were the experts and got their input on what we should do."

Silver award: Football Inclusion Days (Germany)
Bronze award: Sunshine AO (Moldova)

EA SPORTS FC supports the UEFA Grassroots Awards

For the second year, the UEFA Grassroots Awards were presented in partnership with EA SPORTS FC, as part of the broader partnership between the UEFA grassroots programme and EA SPORTS FC Futures.

As part of their commitment to growing the game at grassroots level, EA SPORTS presented €10,000 to each winner to support and expand their work in local communities.

How are the UEFA Grassroots Award winners chosen?

Candidates are nominated by Europe’s national football associations, with the winners selected by UEFA’s Development and Technical Assistance Committee following recommendations from the UEFA Grassroots Panel.

More about the UEFA Grassroots Awards

Since launching in 2010, the UEFA Grassroots Awards have celebrated over 170 winners across Europe. From schools and clubs to large-scale participation programmes, each story reflects football’s ability to connect people and strengthen communities.

Grassroots football is at the heart of our mission, and our range of development programmes help individuals and organisations grow and contribute to the long-term health of society.