Celebrating community success with the UEFA Grassroots Awards
Friday, April 1, 2022
Article summary
Five category winners to be recognised for their outstanding contribution to developing the game.
Article top media content
Article body
The 2021/22 UEFA Grassroots Awards will honour community champions from across Europe.
Five winners will be announced on Monday 4 and Tuesday 5 April, showcasing clubs and initiatives that provide safe, enjoyable places for everybody to enjoy the game, regardless of age, ability, gender or background.
UEFA Grassroots Awards: the categories
Best amateur club
Best professional club
Best participation initiative
Best disability initiative
Best social initiative
Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president:
"Selecting the winners of the UEFA Grassroots Awards is always an enjoyable and inspiring task. It highlights the impressive, inclusive, and noteworthy projects of national associations and clubs across the continent, whose influence often sways beyond sports.
"Congratulations to the winners, and I wish you and all the nominees even more future success as you continue to forge these outstanding projects that have an essential impact on the game's growth and your communities."
Maxwell Scherrer, UEFA chief of football development:
"It is UEFA's mission to ensure that everybody who wants to play football can do so in a safe and enjoyable environment. The Grassroots Awards are our opportunity to recognise the fantastic work being done by our national associations in making the game fun, inclusive and accessible for everyone, creating lasting friendships and a lifelong love of our sport."
About the UEFA Grassroots Awards
Since 2010, the UEFA Grassroots Awards have celebrated excellence beneath the elite levels of European football, highlighting the unsung heroes whose dedication allows the game to thrive and provides a foundation for the wider development of the sport. Candidates are nominated by UEFA's member national associations, with award winners selected by UEFA's Executive Committee, following recommendations made by the organisation's Grassroots Panel and Development and Technical Assistance Committee.
The importance of grassroots football
A healthy grassroots game is crucial to the success of elite football and is central to UEFA's strategy to ensure football is the most played, trusted, competitive and engaging sport. Grassroots football:
- Creates a solid foundation for the game
- Provides playing opportunities for all
- Promotes respect, inclusion and equality
- Serves as a vehicle for educational, sporting and social development
- Promotes lifelong participation