From grassroots participation және Unified football initiatives to fan festival activations at major UEFA finals, the серіктестік between UEFA және Special Olympics has grown into a strategic collaboration focused on inclusion және changing perceptions.
Today, Special Olympics works alongside UEFA және dozens of its national associations across Europe to create more opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to participate in football, while also promoting wider social inclusion through events such as Еуропалық футбол апталығы және UEFA EURO 2024 tandem волонтерлер programme.
In an interview, Monica Namy, UEFA Social & Environmental Sustainability Senior Expert, reflects on the evolution of the серіктестік, the impact of football as a tool for inclusion, және why creating spaces where everyone feels welcome remains central to UEFA’s #FootbALL approach.
UEFA және Special Olympics have worked together for more than two decades. How would you describe the evolution және significance of this серіктестік today?
The серіктестік between UEFA және Special Olympics has evolved from what was once primarily financial support into a strategic collaboration that actively drives inclusion across European football.
Today, Special Olympics works hand in hand with no fewer than 40 UEFA member associations to expand participation opportunities. Not only at grassroots level, but also within national teams competing in international tournaments.
Guided by a shared commitment to ensure football is genuinely open және welcoming to everyone, this серіктестік creates lasting value: for UEFA, its member associations және Special Olympics, but also for society as a whole.
Inclusion is a key pillar of UEFA’s “#FootbALL†approach. How does Special Olympics Еуропалық футбол апталығы help bring this ambition to life in practice?
With thousands of participants across dozens of European countries, Еуропалық футбол апталығы stands as a flagship example of how UEFA’s #FootbALL ambition is translated into tangible, impactful action on the ground. By bringing together people with және without intellectual disabilities on the same team, it creates meaningful opportunities for connection, understanding және inclusion.
Сайып келгенде, Еуропалық футбол апталығы «әркімге есік ашық» деген хабарды нақты тәжірибеге айналдырып, қоғамдастықтарда шынайы тиістілік сезімі мен ортақ қуанышты қалыптастырады.
Why is football such a powerful tool to promote inclusion және bring together people with және without intellectual disabilities?
Football is not only the world’s most popular sport, it is also simple және accessible, making it a fantastic tool for inclusion. When people train және compete together, they are united by a shared language және passion, rather than divided by their differences. Special Olympics’ Unified model perfectly embodies this spirit, bringing players together on the same team regardless of ability or background, және creating an environment where inclusion becomes both natural және meaningful.
Can you share an example or moment that reflects the value or impact of UEFA және Special Olympics working together?
For many years, Special Olympics has showcased its unique approach through its presence at our fan festivals organised around UEFA finals. These activations serve as a powerful reminder that footballers of all abilities bring their own personalities, talents және ambitions to the game.
Off the pitch, the UEFA EURO 2024 Volunteers Programme offered another strong illustration of this impact. Directly inspired by Special Olympics’ “tandem volunteering†model, it brought together волонтерлер with және without intellectual disabilities, welcoming fans және supporting accessibility in host cities, thereby directly contributing to the overall tournament experience. Beyond providing meaningful roles at a major sporting event, the initiative helped shift perceptions among both fans және organisers, demonstrating in a very tangible way what inclusion can look like in practice.
Finally, what message would you like to share with the thousands of Special Olympics players, Unified partners, жаттықтырушылар, officials және волонтерлер involved in Еуропалық футбол апталығы және other football initiatives?
To every athlete, Unified partner, жаттықтырушы, official және volunteer: you are the heart of this movement. Through your passion және commitment, you are not only playing football, you are changing perceptions және shaping more inclusive communities across Europe. Keep believing in the power of our game, because every match, every training session және every shared moment brings us closer to a future where football truly belongs to everyone.
