To this end, Sabritas has partnered with the Fútbol Más Foundation, PepsiCo Foundation Mexico and the UEFA Foundation for Children to build a new pitch in the community of Iztapalapa. This football field will host sports programmes and workshops led by the Fútbol Más Foundation with a view to motivating young people in four key ways: creating a sense of belonging, increasing commitment, promoting the safety of the community and guaranteeing access to sport.

“More than a football pitch, we have built a space that brings joy to the community where they can come together and enjoy moments of fun, happiness, motivation, and empowerment while promoting inclusion and sports. We are immensely proud of this initiative; it is an opportunity to continue to encourage positive change for the people and their environment. With this pitch, we seek to bring to life our brand’s purpose of bringing joy to communities by combining a passion for football with a social cause and creating a space where everyone can play and grow,” commented Hernán Tantardini, vice-president of Sabritas.

Ignacio Gomez, executive director of Fútbol Más in Mexico, added: “We are so excited to give a new life to this pitch, and now it’s time to start executing our educational sporting programmes to provide tailor-made support to the local community and drive positive change for generations to come.”

RePlay is a global initiative launched by the Lay’s brand in 2021 with the creation of the first sustainable RePlay pitch in South Africa. Having seen its positive social impact, the corporation set out to create more all over the world. RePlay pitches have already been built in Italy, Brazil, the UK and Mexico and more countries will follow in the coming years.

“Few things are as inspiring as putting sports at the service of communities. Here at the UEFA Foundation for Children, we believe that this is essential to ensure the holistic development of young people, especially those who grow up in underprivileged communities. With this in mind, RePlay has become one of our most consistent programmes, and bringing this new pitch to Mexico allows us to continue spreading our message,” said Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

Oribe Peralta, a UEFA Ambassador and one of Mexico’s best-known football players, attended the inauguration event and shared his thoughts on this joyful occasion for the local community:

“It’s an honour to be supporting the launch of the Sabritas RePlay pitch. I am sure this pitch will have a positive impact, uniting the community through the power of football, helping them to learn, grow, develop confidence and teamwork, and of course have fun. I have been able to experience first-hand the impact that sports can have on people’s lives, and thanks to this initiative, people will be able to find in football a safe and fun place.”

Finally, the event had a special surprise for the community with the visit of the UEFA Champions League trophy (known locally as the ‘Orejona’), one of the world’s most revered football trophies. Special guests and members of the local community were able to take photos of the trophy and enjoyed an afternoon spent participating in the different activities that will bring smiles and joy to this renewed space.

It’s an honour to be supporting the launch of the Sabritas RePlay pitch. I am sure this pitch will have a positive impact, uniting the community through the power of football, helping them to learn, grow, develop confidence and teamwork, and of course have fun. I have been able to experience first-hand the impact that sports can have on people’s lives, and thanks to this initiative, people will be able to find in football a safe and fun place.”

– Oribe Peralta, UEFA Ambassador

With thanks to UEFA

The ECA Ukraine Relief Committee has approved applications for financial assistance from 15 member clubs for projects they are conducting to assist children and families displaced by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

The ECA Ukraine Relief Committee was set up to review applications from member clubs who are implementing concrete and effective humanitarian actions to support the integration and development of those affected by the war in Ukraine. ECA chairman Nasser Al­Khelaifi first announced the availability of the €1m ECA relief fund during his speech on 28 March at the at the 27th ECA General Assembly in Vienna.

Having been approved first by the Ukraine Relief Committee and then by the UEFA Foundation for Children, the 15 projects received the sums requested from the foundation. Donations were granted at an amont between €25,000 and €50,000 per club.

The value of the donations allocated to the 15 clubs comes to a combined total of €680,000, leaving €320,000 available in the relief fund for distribution in the future. An update will be given at the forthcoming ECA General Assembly in Istanbul, Türkiye, and a second-round call for projects from member clubs is expected to follow soon.

Commenting on the allocation of funds to the 15 clubs, Dariusz Mioduski, ECA vice-chairman and chairman of the Ukraine Relief Committee, said: “At ECA we were all extremely concerned by the realities of hardship being suffered by the many refugees fleeing the tragic situation in Ukraine. I am very pleased, therefore, that our Ukraine Relief Committee was able to approve a total of 15 projects proposed by our member clubs, who will now receive the requested financial donations. This assistance will allow them to continue their good work supporting displaced Ukrainian children and families, bringing them much-needed assistance, human interaction and hope for the future. There is still a substantial amount left in the ECA Relief Fund and we expect a second call for projects from member clubs to be made in the near future.”

The 15 member clubs whose projects were approved are: AC Sparta Praha, Athletic Club, Celtic FC, FC Chikhura Sachkhere, FC Shakhtar Donetsk, FC Slovan Liberec, GNK Dinamo Zagreb, Heart of Midlothian FC, Legia Warszawa, Maccabi Haifa F.C., Nõmme Kalju FC, SJK Seinäjoki, SK Slavia Praha, ŠK Slovan Bratislava, Trabzonspor AŞ.

With thanks to the UEFA Foundation

These funds will finance initiatives from UEFA member associations and charities focusing on children’s rights and their well-being, with the exact needs currently being evaluated in close cooperation with the member associations and local partners. The UEFA Foundation for Children furthermore decided to allocate an immediate emergency aid fund of €100,000 to assist Ukrainian children and refugees.

The emergency aid fund will be provided to the Football Association of Moldova, which is already working with local humanitarian organisations to assist Ukrainian refugee children arriving in the country. Part of these provisions will also be used to provide medicines and supplies to children’s hospitals in Ukraine.

Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA President and Chairman of the UEFA Foundation for Children: “Children are very vulnerable during conflicts and it is our duty to help defend their fundamental rights and their health. Thanks to the solidarity of European football and the support of our partners, we will be able to provide some of the assistance that children urgently need in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries”.

The UEFA Foundation for Children aims to help children and defend their rights, for example through sport and football. It provides support in the areas of health, education, access to sport, personal development, integration of minorities and employability.

The Foundation, a public utility body under Swiss law, was created and started its activities on April 24, 2015. The foundation currently invests in 180 projects and has so far funded more than 400 projects in 130 countries worldwide. More than 1.8 million children have already benefited from the foundation’s work since its creation.

Lead photo from the Football Association of Moldova which has been organising football classes for refugee children from Ukraine

With thanks to UEFA

For the second year in a row, Visa donated its Player of the Match prize to the UEFA Foundation for Children, allowing the winner to choose a cause close to her convictions. Aitana Bonmatí decided to support the Movement on the Ground, an organisation that runs sports programmes for refugee children on Lesbos.

Bonmatí presented the €50,000 award to a project that promotes gender equality and social inclusion for refugee children on the Greek island delivered by Movement on the Ground with support from the Barça Foundation and UEFA Foundation for Children.

Aitana Bonmatí, who is an ambassador for the Barça Foundation, said: “I hope this donation helps girls improve their situation and their emotional well-being through sport. It has been very interesting to learn first-hand about the situation on Lesbos and the excellent work that is being carried out.”

Adil Izemrane, co-founder of the Movement on the Ground, thanked Visa and Aitana Bonmatí for the donation, which he said: “will enable many more refugee girls to have a safe place to play sports and forget, for a few hours a week, about their hardships in Europe’s largest refugee camp.”