EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days as a stage for fascinating diversity
Part of the fascination of soccer is its enormous power to bring people together. UEFA EURO 2024 will demonstrate this once again. The basis is the shared enthusiasm for this sport and its unbroken strength in reflecting society in all its diversity. Everyone belongs to soccer: young, old, with and without disabilities - regardless of origin, skin color or religion.
Exciting facets of soccer can be experienced up close at the Football Inclusion Days for the past three years. Following the successful kick-off in Trier and the three subsequent editions in the heart of Cologne, this initiative of the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger will be given further chapters on the occasion of UEFA Euro 2024: Together with the host cities, the DFB regional associations and other cooperation partners, the EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days will be held in the fan zones of the host cities under the title “With soccer into the heart of society”.
Impetus for a more inclusive culture
The program is diverse. It is aimed at people with and without disabilities. Soccer tournaments are held for athletes with intellectual disabilities and inclusive competitions are held on the specially constructed soccer courts. How fascinating it is when footballers without sight dribble, pass, score goals and communicate with each other at breakneck speed can be experienced during interludes and tournaments in blind soccer. No less impressive scenes are offered in amputee soccer. Many inclusive hands-on activities give visitors the opportunity to become part of the events themselves.
"We are taking these events to the host cities, exactly where the heart of soccer will be beating particularly strongly in the summer. I am sure that this will make the Football Inclusion Days the perfect stage to present the outstanding achievements of players with disabilities to a broad public,” explains Ralph-Uwe Schaffert, DFB Vice President and Chairman of the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger. Schaffert is firmly convinced that these impressions will prove to be an impetus for the development of an even more inclusive culture in the cities, their surrounding areas and the local club landscape and will promote the social integration of people with disabilities.
Exciting insights
The Football Inclusion Days also promise interesting insights thanks to the visits of well-known guests from sport, politics and society, who will come to talk on the sidelines and present awards to the active players. The EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days are supported by Aktion Mensch.
Soccer Friends Cup as a sign of inclusion in action
Another highlight of the EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days in the host cities are the Football Friends Cups, which are jointly organized by the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger, the DFL Foundation and the DFB regional associations. The inclusive tournament series, which has been taking place since 2017, gives children and young people with and without disabilities the opportunity to play soccer under special conditions and thus set an example for inclusion in soccer. The focus is not on performance, but on the shared joy and enthusiasm of playing soccer, teamwork and fair play. "The FootballFriendsCups are a fun way for children and young people with and without disabilities to come together through sport. This promotes social skills, as the participants learn how to deal with the strengths and weaknesses of other footballers. They get to know and understand each other,” says Tobias Wrzesinski, Managing Director of the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger.
Inclusion teams from soccer clubs, schools and other institutions are invited to take part. The teams consist of up to ten girls and boys between the ages of ten and 15 - with and without disabilities. The type of disability does not matter. The tournament will be accompanied by a wide-ranging supporting program in the fan zone.
Part of the fascination of soccer is its enormous power to bring people together. UEFA EURO 2024 will demonstrate this once again. The basis is the shared enthusiasm for this sport and its unbroken strength in reflecting society in all its diversity. Everyone belongs to soccer: young, old, with and without disabilities - regardless of origin, skin color or religion.
Exciting facets of soccer can be experienced up close at the Football Inclusion Days for the past three years. Following the successful kick-off in Trier and the three subsequent editions in the heart of Cologne, this initiative of the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger will be given further chapters on the occasion of UEFA Euro 2024: Together with the host cities, the DFB regional associations and other cooperation partners, the EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days will be held in the fan zones of the host cities under the title “With soccer into the heart of society”.
Impetus for a more inclusive culture
The program is diverse. It is aimed at people with and without disabilities. Soccer tournaments are held for athletes with intellectual disabilities and inclusive competitions are held on the specially constructed soccer courts. How fascinating it is when footballers without sight dribble, pass, score goals and communicate with each other at breakneck speed can be experienced during interludes and tournaments in blind soccer. No less impressive scenes are offered in amputee soccer. Many inclusive hands-on activities give visitors the opportunity to become part of the events themselves.
"We are taking these events to the host cities, exactly where the heart of soccer will be beating particularly strongly in the summer. I am sure that this will make the Football Inclusion Days the perfect stage to present the outstanding achievements of players with disabilities to a broad public,” explains Ralph-Uwe Schaffert, DFB Vice President and Chairman of the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger. Schaffert is firmly convinced that these impressions will prove to be an impetus for the development of an even more inclusive culture in the cities, their surrounding areas and the local club landscape and will promote the social integration of people with disabilities.
Exciting insights
The Football Inclusion Days also promise interesting insights thanks to the visits of well-known guests from sport, politics and society, who will come to talk on the sidelines and present awards to the active players. The EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days are supported by Aktion Mensch.
Soccer Friends Cup as a sign of inclusion in action
Another highlight of the EURO events of the Football Inclusion Days in the host cities are the Football Friends Cups, which are jointly organized by the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger, the DFL Foundation and the DFB regional associations. The inclusive tournament series, which has been taking place since 2017, gives children and young people with and without disabilities the opportunity to play soccer under special conditions and thus set an example for inclusion in soccer. The focus is not on performance, but on the shared joy and enthusiasm of playing soccer, teamwork and fair play. "The FootballFriendsCups are a fun way for children and young people with and without disabilities to come together through sport. This promotes social skills, as the participants learn how to deal with the strengths and weaknesses of other footballers. They get to know and understand each other,” says Tobias Wrzesinski, Managing Director of the DFB Foundation Sepp Herberger.
Inclusion teams from soccer clubs, schools and other institutions are invited to take part. The teams consist of up to ten girls and boys between the ages of ten and 15 - with and without disabilities. The type of disability does not matter. The tournament will be accompanied by a wide-ranging supporting program in the fan zone.
