On May 3, the inclusive football festival "Football for All" took place on the artificial fields of the Kyiv NTI named after Viktor Bannikov — an initiative that became another step in the development of inclusive sports in Ukraine by the Ukrainian Football Association (UAF).

The event was organized by the Ukrainian Football Association together with the Ukrainian Football Association for People with Disabilities, supported by leading sports and civic organizations working to involve people with various conditions in football.

Photo: Dan Balashov

The festival brought together participants with various health impairments, including amputations, hearing disabilities, musculoskeletal disorders, intellectual disabilities, and diabetes. Throughout the day, training sessions and friendly matches were held, involving:

• The All-Ukrainian Public Organization "Deaf Sports Federation of Ukraine";
• Kyiv City Physical Culture and Sports Club for People with Disabilities "Prometheus";
• Civic organization "Special Olympics Ukraine";
• Ukrainian Diabetes Federation;
• The UAF project "League of the Strong," which develops football among people with amputations and functional limb impairments.

Photo: Dan Balashov

"I convey sincere greetings from UAF President Andriy Shevchenko. I would like to thank everyone who found the time and opportunity to participate in the festival, as well as express genuine gratitude to the team of the Ukrainian Football Association for organizing such a large-scale event. Two months ago, this idea emerged, and we have already moved from planning to its direct implementation. I hope that each participant enjoyed our productive interaction. We are always open to cooperation and real actions rather than just promises," — addressed the festival participants UAF General Secretary Igor Gryshchenko.

Photo: Dan Balashov

"There is a huge difference between healthy athletes and those with hearing impairments. Athletes with hearing impairments... In their case, each one needs to develop vision significantly so that they feel part of the team, understand that others feel them because they cannot hear, and always keep an eye on the field. This is very difficult. Generally speaking, they need to have a highly developed sense of attention both in play and during training. Let's put it this way: our athletes with hearing impairments do not lag behind and can compete with healthy athletes, so to speak, without giving them any ground. We have a national team that participates in regional championships among healthy athletes and shows very good results," — stated the technical director of futsal, senior coach of Ukraine U-21-U-23, and coach of Kyiv Valery Taymazov.

Photo: Dan Balashov

"We have players with different levels of preparation — from beginners to those with a fairly high professional level. And the uniqueness of 'Special Olympics' lies precisely in the fact that thanks to the division system, everyone can compete on equal terms — according to age, gender, and skill level. This gives the opportunity not just to play football but also to develop as a person. Because for our participants, football is not only a game; it's the most popular team sport and at the same time a powerful social tool that allows people with intellectual disabilities to express themselves, feel support, and become part of a community," — noted the executive director of civic organization "Special Olympics Ukraine" Andriy Podvarko.

Photo: Dan Balashov

"On the international stage, we see a completely different approach to inclusive football. They renew their national teams by 60-70% every two years — not because players are weak or insufficiently experienced, but because their priority is socialization. Through sports, people with disabilities are prepared for life and integrated into society. In our case, it's still different: we put the sporting result first and then socialization. And this is a key difference," — noted the lecturer at Kyiv Regional Center "InvaSport" and senior coach of Ukraine youth/middle-age team ORA/DCP Dmitry Saburov.

The event highlighted the important role of physical activity in the lives of people with disabilities, especially during wartime when sports become not only a means of rehabilitation but also support and recovery.

Inclusive football is a path to equality, development, and full life for everyone. The UAF continues to actively work on creating barrier-free football space in Ukraine.