The current year's season of the joint social project "Open Football Lessons" by the Ukrainian Association of Football and regional associations is coming to an end.

Photo courtesy of UAF

First Vice President of the Ukrainian Association of Football, Vadim Kostyuchenko, summarizes interim results: "The main goal of this year's 'Open Football Lessons' is to provide psychological and social support for children of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, children of internally displaced persons, and children affected by the war. In line with UEFA's philosophy of mass football, we create an inclusive and unifying environment for children regardless of their abilities or gender, and also include children with special educational needs. This is a significant social mission that the UAF is honored to implement together with regional football associations and our partners."

Photo courtesy of UAF

Currently, an important aspect of the project is its safety component, where children receive knowledge in a playful format to minimize risks from explosive hazards, mines, and emergency situations related to war.

Additionally, it's crucial for our project to activate local communities and develop volunteerism.

Photo courtesy of UAF

Before organizing events with children, football volunteers were trained at seminars by the UAF, including in Ivano-Frankivsk, where not only representatives from various regions but also top Ukrainian experts in physical culture and sports, psychology, and security shared their experiences.

Photo courtesy of UAF

This year, 30 communities in 18 regions of Ukraine successfully joined the project, organizing large football festivals and inspiring other physical and sports events based on the project methodology: competitions, lessons, section practices, and sports-safety quests.

Photo courtesy of UAF

2300 children received bright positive emotions from playing directly at football festivals, and 12,000 did so at other project events. Most of them had not engaged in sports before but developed a desire to do so after participating in these events. We observed a significant influx into mass football among girls who were introduced to the basics of football; they made up nearly 40% of all participants.

Photo courtesy of UAF

Moreover, communities received a large number of football balls and sports equipment, which is particularly relevant for small towns and rural areas where the project has sparked great interest not only among boys and girls but also their families, local leaders at various levels, educational communities, teachers, coaches, psychologists, youth leaders, and local benefactors who are passionate about football.

Photo courtesy of UAF

Communities that adopted the project this year

In spring:

Vinnytsia Oblast — Severinivka, Demkivka;

Zhytomyr Oblast — Lubart, Korosten;

Kyiv Oblast — Bila Tserkva;

Kirovohrad Oblast — Perevoznyvka, Oleksandrivka;

Poltava Oblast — Mirhorod (2);

Cherkasy Oblast — Zolotonosha, Kamianka;

Chernihiv Oblast — Chernihiv (2).

In autumn:

Vinnytsia Oblast — Pogrebishche;

Volyn Oblast — Rozhyshe;

Dnipropetrovsk Oblast — Slobozhanske;

Zhytomyr Oblast — Chernyakhiv;

Zakarpattia Oblast — Bushchino;

Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast — Dolyna;

Kyiv Oblast — Kagarlick, Fastivka TG;

Kirovohrad Oblast — Znamyanka;

Lviv Oblast — Drohobych;

Odesa Oblast — Odesa;

Poltava Oblast — Kovalyvka Poltavskyi Raion;

Rivne Oblast — Dubno;

Sumy Oblast — Stepanivka Sumykyi Raion;

Ternopil Oblast — Kotsiv Sarnytsivskyi TG;

Khmelnytskyi Oblast — Nova Ushytsia;

Cherkasy Oblast — Cherkasy;

Chernivtsi Oblast — Yurkivtsi;

Chernihiv Oblast — Nizhyn.