This fall, the Ukrainian Football Association and regional football associations will hold «Open Football Festivals» to support children affected by the war.

In August, the UAF organized a special seminar for volunteer leaders from communities participating in the 2025/2026 season project. They, in turn, share their experience with selected local volunteer teams that will prepare and conduct football festivals for children. The next step is to establish football sections among festival participants.

Photo courtesy of the UAF

The festivals attract many children who have not previously engaged in sports, providing psychological support to war-affected children through their favorite game and uniting internally displaced children with their peers from host communities.

According to information from regional football associations, the project will be implemented in these communities (preliminary schedule):

12.09. — Kharkiv region, Solonitsyvka village school № 1;

19.09. — Zakarpattia region, Berehove city stadium «Druzhba»;

19.09. — Kyiv region, Skvyra city stadium «Kolos»;

20.09. — Odesa region, Usatove village sports complex «Khadjibey»;

24.09. — Poltava region, Lozova city gymnasium № 1;

25.09. — Kyiv city, Training and training complex for youth and junior national teams of the UAF (festival dedicated to UEFA Mass Football Week);

Photo courtesy of the UAF

26.09. — Dnipropetrovsk region, Magdalynivka village school;

26.09. — Kirovohrad region, Bobrynets city sports complex «Olympiyets»;

26.09. — Khmelnytskyy region, Dunayivtsi city stadium «Kolos»;

27.09. — Chernihiv region, Sosnitska village community, Kudryvka village stadium «Kudryvka-Arena»;

30.09. — Ivano-Frankivsk region, Olesa village school;

04.10. — Chernivtsi region, Novodnistrovsk city DSUSSh, Central City Stadium;

11.10. — Zhytomyr region, Baranivka city DSUSSh, Central City Stadium.

Photo courtesy of the UAF

Later, dates for other communities will be announced. These include:

— Vinnytsia region, Tultsy city school with enhanced military-physical training;

— Volyn region, Horokhiv city KDUSSh;

— Dnipro city;

— Cherkasy region, Uman city (organized by the Donetsk Football Association);

— Lviv region, Strilkivtsi village school;

— Rivne region, Horodok village school;

— Ternopil region, Boryslav city school № 1; sports complex of the Boryslav Agricultural Technical College;

— Cherkasy region, Voznesenske village school.

In addition, the Zakarpattia Football Association and Kharkiv Oblast Football Association have already started their season by holding additional festivals at the end of August for local children and children from Kherson, Kharkiv, and Sumy regions in Kostynivka village, and in Kharkiv city on the basis of SK «Nova Bavaria».

Photo courtesy of the UAF

The Ukrainian Football Association's «Open Football Festivals» project is:

• youth leadership in communities;
• psychosocial support for children of military service members, internally displaced children, and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship among IDP children and local children, social integration;
• an inclusive environment where everyone participates, including children with special educational needs;
• knowledge of safety in wartime conditions;
• the philosophy of mass football — joy from the game instead of any price for results;
• cultivation of a healthy lifestyle;
• volunteer development;
• activation of local communities through cross-sector networks (youth leaders, teachers, coaches, psychologists, safety experts, parents, local authorities, patrons, etc.).