Football for Friendship

First Forum

On May 25, 2013 London hosted the First International Children’s Football for Friendship Forum that welcomed around 700 children from 8 countries: Bulgaria, UK, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Russia, Serbia and Slovenia.

The Forum involved such youth teams as Chelsea, Zenit, Schalke 04, and Red Star Belgrade; 11 football teams from 11 Russian cities which will host games at the 2018 FIFA World Cup; Gazprom sports day winners, Flame festival laureates.

During the Forum children communicated with their peers from other countries, famous football players and visited UEFA Champions League Final 2013 at Wembley stadium.

UK Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson said about the event:

"The ‘Football for Friendship’ scheme is a great opportunity for young people from across Europe to come together through the power of sport. It’s great that participants from Westminster will be a part of ‘Football for Friendship’ and attend the Champions League Final at Wembley, an experience that will no doubt live long in their memories".

At the Forum the Open letter was formed by children in which they formulated eight values of the programme: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory and traditions. Later the letter was sent to the heads of UEFA, FIFA and IOC. In September 2013 Joseph Blatter, while meeting Vladimir Putin and Vitaly Mutko, confirmed that he had received the letter and expressed support for the Football for Friendship values:

"It is true that the key principles listed must play an important role for all football players and for all football fans. I am proud to have received this letter and I stand by these principles with great pleasure".

Second Forum

The Second International Children’s Football for Friendship Forum took place in Lisbon on May 23–25, 2014 and welcomed football players from 16 countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, UK, Hungary, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, France and Croatia. During the Forum, children participated in the Street Soccer Tournament and visited UEFA Champions League Final 2014.

The Forum culminated in election of the Football for Friendship movement leader. Filipe Soares (Portugal) was elected as a leader for one year.

Third Forum

The Third International Children’s Forum Football for Friendship was held on the 4–7 June 2015 in Berlin. It was attended by 24 youth football teams from 24 countries.

During the Forum children had an opportunity to communicate with their peers from other countries and football stars including the global ambassador of the programme Franz Beckenbauer as well as to participate in the International Street Soccer Tournament among youth football teams from 24 countries.

Forum events were covered by 200 journalists of the major global media as well as 24 young reporters from Europe and Asia, who joint the Forum International Children’s Press Centre.

The Forum culminated with presentation of Nine Values Cup which is given by young participants of the Football for Friendship programme to professional football clubs of UEFA Champions League for social projects that practically perform values of the programme: friendship, equality, fairness, health, peace, devotion, victory, traditions and honour. This is a unique trophy with no analogue in sports community, and this year it was presented for the first time. The winner was defined by children who had taken part in global 24-country voting held shortly before the Forum.

Football for Friendship Nine Values Cup went to FC Barcelona (Spain).

After the Forum all the participants visited UEFA Champions League Final Berlin 2015 at the Olympic stadium.

Fourth Forum

The fourth season of “Football for Friendship” International children’s social program was announced during the Hangouts online press conference, in Munich on the March 24th, 2016.

The Football for Friendship Fourth International Children’s Forum took place in Milan on May 26–29, 2016 Eight youth’s teams from Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Brazil, Kyrgyzstan, Vietnam and Syria have joined the program this year.

In the run-up to the Forum, the voting for the Nine Values Cup has started on April 5, 2016 Football fans from all over the world were involved in selecting the winner. Yet, the final decision is made by the Football for Friendship project’s participants through a vote. This year, the Cup was awarded to Bayern Munich. The Football for Friendship programme’s participants commended the football club for its support of children with special needs, its health care initiatives aimed at children in different countries, and its assistance to those in need.

The Forum concluded with the final match of the International Street Soccer Tournament. Slovenian NK Maribor took home the first prize. After the Forum all the participants traditionally visited the UEFA Champions League Final. Over 200 journalists from the world’s leading media covered the Forum, as did young reporters from participating countries who worked at the International Children’s Press Center.

International Street Soccer Tournament

International Street Soccer Tournament has been part of the Football for Friendship project since 2014. The first Tournament gathered 16 teams from 16 countries including Chelsea Foundation and a mixed team of boys and girls from the Netherlands Double Dutchies. Benfica (Portugal) won the Tournament, Crvena Zvezda (Serbia) ranked second, and the united team of Russian cities that will host matches in the 2018 World Cup came third. In 2016 NK Maribor won the tournament.

International Children’s Press Centre

International Children’s Press Centre was established as part of the Football for Friendship project in 2014. It involved 16 journalists aged 12–14 from 16 countries, who won national young reporter competition. England was represented by a 13-year-old Megan Mackey. The winners went to Lisbon as reporters to cover the Second Football for Friendship Forum and visited UEFA Champions League Final. Philomeen Haanen from the Netherlands was recognized as the best young reporter and got a chance to interview the project’s ambassador Franz Beckenbauer.

In 2015 a 12-year-old James Lewis from Great Missenden will represent England at the International Children’s Press Centre among other 24 young reporters who cover the Third Forum and national events within the programme. They also visited the UEFA Champions League Final Berlin 2015.

International Day of Football and Friendship

International Day of Football and Friendship is celebrated as part of the Football for Friendship project on April 25 in all participating countries.

In 2014 it was celebrated for the first time. On this day friendly matches are organised to remind about values of the Football for Friendship programme.

In 2015, Day of Football and Friendship was celebrated in 24 countries. Besides friendly matches, there were events in other formats. In Germany, Julian Draxler and Joel Matip from FC Schalke 04, members of the German national team held an official training session for Schalke U13. In Russia the Tournament of Equal Opportunities was organised with the support of the Blind Sports Federation. In Serbia FC Crvena Zvezda was invited to TV show.

Friendship bracelet

All the events on Day of Football and Friendship start with exchange of Friendship bracelets, signifying tolerance, equality and a healthy lifestyle. The bracelet consists of two strings of green and blue colours where green symbolises football field and blue stands for the sky.

In 2014, Friendship bracelets were presented to Vitor Baia, Dick Advocaat, Franz Beckenbauer, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

Post activity

Football players of the Football for Friendship project take part in different events off the official season. Maribor team from Slovenia went to Cambodia to hold a charity friendly match. On September 14, 2014, Sochi hosted the meeting of Russian participants of the programme with Vladimir Putin as part of his meeting with FIFA president Joseph Blatter. In June 2014, the President of France Francois Hollande invited Taverny football team that participated in the Football for Friendship project to Elysee to join him in watching football world champion 2014, the match between France and Nigeria.