Refugee support
terça-feira, 3 de fevereiro de 2026
Conteúdo media do artigo
Corpo do artigo
Football is one of the world’s most influential social infrastructures and scalable platforms, capable of generating measurable social value and impact through concrete action.
Our sport, played and followed by millions, not only transcends borders, cultures and languages, but also fosters a sense of strong community.
In 2025, Europe hosted roughly 18.7 million forcibly displaced people — made up of 11.8 million refugees, 5.4 million internally displaced people (IDPs) and 1.5 million asylum seekers. Every one of those people was forced to leave their home, and often their country, family and friends. Becoming a refugee is never a choice, but how we choose to respond is.
As part of the UEFA Football Sustainability Strategy 2030 and together with our national associations, leagues and clubs, we aim to support programmes that empower refugees to become part of their host communities through our football platform.
"Starting in unfamiliar surroundings is often challenging, but football can act as a powerful catalyst for integration and connection."
UEFA Refugee Toolkit
The UEFA Refugee Toolkit is designed to provide national and regional associations, leagues, professional and amateur clubs and other football stakeholders with a practical set of resources, to facilitate the development of refugee initiatives. It aims to provide an initial understanding of forced displacement and suggests how football can act in providing mutually beneficial opportunities for refugees and their host communities.
"If there is investment and support and opportunity and trust, we know how to give back. We become entrepreneurs. We become teachers. We become leaders. We become inspiring stories of hope."
Toolkit components
- Core guidance document
- Full reference document
- Videos
- UEFA OUTRAGED: Refugees
- Related UEFA resources
Partnership with UNHCR
Partners since May 2021 when the two organisations signed a cooperation protocol, UEFA and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have a shared commitment to using football's reach and influence as a platform for strengthening social inclusion. Promoting opportunities for refugees through sport is central to UEFA's Sustainability Strategy 2030. Similarly, UNHCR’s Sport Strategy – More Than a Game emphasises the role of sport in improving the lives of displaced people.
Unity EURO Cup
Organised by UEFA in collaboration with UNHCR, the Unity EURO Cup brings together teams made up of refugees and players from their host communities to compete in a mixed-gender event that puts the floodlights on sport's vital role in facilitating social inclusion.
"This tournament is a great example of how sport can unite individuals and communities, break down cultural barriers and empower people."
Eighteen teams - two more than 2024 - competed in the 2025 edition, that took place on 15 October at the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) headquarters in Zeist. For the second time, Finland lifted the trophy defeating Armenia in the final.
Participants: Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Rep of Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, Team EU.
Refugees also refereed matches thanks to an education programme by local club AVV Zeeburgia in partnership with the KNVB. Professional referee Serdar Gözübüyük oversaw the final.
The day before the tournament, three refugees and representatives of UEFA, KNVB, the UN, the EU and the Dutch government have addressed a forum focused on boosting refugees’ access to national football structures and increasing support.
Guests include former Netherlands international Aron Winter and Khalida Popal, a prominent refugee leader.
The 2024 edition of the Unity EURO Cup took place at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland.
Nearly 200 players from 16 teams competed in a total of 33 matches, with Latvia beating defending champions Finland 4-1 in the final. The other teams involved were Armenia, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Additionally, a team of Ukrainian refugees from across Europe represented their homeland.
After the final, UEFA and UNHCR hosted a high-level panel discussion on "Refugee Inclusion Through Sport’. Moderated by Pedro Pinto, key speakers included UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, UEFA Vice-President Laura McAllister and Célia Šašić, EURO 2024 and Team Germany ambassador, and Mary Edonga, Unity EURO Cup 2024 Team Northern Ireland refugee player.
"Football plays a great role in my life," said Edonga. “I fled South Sudan because there is a civil war and came to Northern Ireland. It was a long and stressful journey. In Northern Ireland, I started playing football and it was a life-changing. When I play football, I'm just happy, I met new people, I learnt a new language and different cultures. It's like a big family."
In 2023, the Unity EURO Cup was held in Frankfurt, Germany, with Finland lifting the trophy after a 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland.
Also represented at the 16-team tournament were Armenia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and an EU team – double the number of sides from 2022.
Former international referee, Felix Brych, who took charge of the 2017 UEFA Champions League final, officiated the final, while each team was also supported by an ambassador.
"The Unity EURO Cup connects people and nations and creates a positive atmosphere even in difficult times. On the pitch, everyone is equal, and everyone plays by the same rules," Brych said. "Being a part of this tournament means a lot to me, it was a great honour."
Eight national associations – Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Malta, Republic of Ireland, France, and Switzerland – were represented in the inaugural edition of the Unity EURO Cup.
Germany emerged as the first winners, defeating Switzerland on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the final at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland.
Among the team ambassadors was former France international Laura Georges, who also played in the tournament. "The players are so passionate about football and so happy to be here. Football is a way to get to know people, to share our passions and include people so they don’t feel by themselves. It can link people and help people to be included in their communities.”
"The best thing about this tournament is that refugees from all around Europe come together. We have a lot of good friends that we meet here. It means so much to people who have life as a refugee."
Refugee voices from across Europe
UEFA Refugee Grants
Since 2017, UEFA has been providing annual funding to its member associations for refugee-related domestic football projects across Europe These initiatives empower refugees to participate in football through a variety of pathways on and off the pitch, to be co-creators, role models and contributors to our game and to society.