The Ukrainian Football Association and regional associations in support of the Cross-Cultural Projects Organization and CISU (“Civil Society for Development”) from Denmark within the framework of the donor program «Youth-Led Recovery and Resilience in Ukraine» continue to develop youth football hubs as part of the project «Open Football Festivals» in regions across Ukraine.

Photo courtesy of the UAF

We remind you that through these hubs, a network of youth leaders who have undergone special training by the UAF aims to implement their own volunteer football projects for children in their communities. They engage children who have not previously been involved in sports through football, provide psychological support to war-affected children through their favorite game, and also teach children about mine safety.

Photo courtesy of the UAF

In December, young volunteers from the project planned the following activities at the hubs:

December 7th, 9th, 21st, and 27th — Vinnytsia Oblast, Tultchin city, DSUSS for orphans: football tournament among boys, «Football Quiz», visit to a friendly match Kyrnasyvka – Tultchin, watching the film «Goal» with children.

December 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th — Volyn Oblast, Hrechiv city, DSUSS: «St. Nicholas Cup» of football, «Football Hangouts with Footballers from Our Region», «Football Fun» with psychological training, «Football Christmas Party», and a «Sweet Cup» of football for children.

December 1st, 8th, 15th, and 22nd — Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Synelnykove city, School No. 2: training in football with the participation of a psychologist, «Happy Games», «Sweet Cup» of football for children.

December 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th — Zhytomyr Oblast, Ovruch city, DSUSS: football games to develop skills, joint viewing and analysis of matches from children's and professional leagues with children, «Happy Football Games», football training on technique.

December 4th, 11th, 18th, and 25th — Zakarpattya Oblast, Berehove city, Stadium “Friendship”: four football trainings with a psychologist.

December 2nd, 6th, 23rd, and 29th — Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, Olsha village, School: tournament of mini-football for children «Unity Cup», sports entertainment event with football elements “Football Saint Nicholas”, a «Sweet Cup» of mini-football for children before Christmas holidays, and a football New Year quest with psychological training.

Photo courtesy of the UAF

December 6th, 10th, 13th, and 23rd — Kyiv Oblast, Skvyra city, DSUSS: visit to a match in the Ukrainian Premier League between Kolos and Shakhtar with children, training of football section, friendly game with team “Zmina”, «Football Quiz Final».

December 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th — Kropyvnytskyi city, School “Victoria-P”: viewing a match in the Ukrainian Premier League between Poltava and Kudryvka with children, fun football games for children with psychological relaxation, «Sweet Cup» of football for children, competition in football with elements of game technique «Christmas Football».

December 7th, 21st, 28th, and 31st — Lviv Oblast, Strilki village, School: football tournament for children on St. Nicholas Day, a trip with hub participants to the city of Lviv for the “Christmas Fair-2025», mini-football tournament for children «Christmas Star», New Year's football event «Sports Talents-2025» (contests, active games).

December 4th, 10th, 14th, and 18th — Odesa Oblast, Usatove village, SK “Khadjibey”, School, Odesa city, NTB “Vidradia”: «Mini World Cup», joint viewing of the film “Goal» and tennis ball game with children, creative and fan event in the hub, event at NTB “Vidradia” dedicated to football refereeing.

December 7th, 13th, 20th, and 26th — Rivne Oblast, Horodok village, School: viewing a match between Metalist 1925 and Veres with children, excursion to the stadium of NK Veres, football training with a psychologist, meeting with players from NK Veres.

December 2nd, 9th, 16th, and 23rd — Khmelnytskyi Oblast, Dunayevetska TG: educational and training sessions in Golozubynetsky Lyceum, Mushkutinsky Gymnasium, Zalizetsky Gymnasium, Ivanovetsky Lyceum.

Photo courtesy of the UAF

December 6th, 13th, 19th, and 26th — Cherkasy Oblast, Voznesenske village, School: viewing matches in the Ukrainian Premier League between LNZ and Kudryvka, LNZ and Obolon with children, football training with a psychologist, «Christmas Cup» of football for children.

December 2nd, 5th, 17th, and 19th — Chernivtsi Oblast, Novodnistrovsk city, DSUSS: two sessions of the football section, «Football Brain Ring», Cool Games Football Quiz.

December 5th, 10th, 17th, and 22nd — Kyiv city, B. Hryhorenko Kyiv State University, Specialized School No. 271, Kiev-Pechersk Lyceum No. 171 “Leader”, School No. 176, School No. 8: fun football activities for children on St. Nicholas Day, a «Sweet Cup» of football for children, «Exciting Sports Challenges» (master class from the student's football team), «Sports Carnival» with football elements.

The Ukrainian Football Association project “Open Football Festivals” is:

• youth leadership in communities;
• psychosocial support for children of ZSU servicemen, IDPs' children, and war-affected children;
• unity and friendship among IDP children and local children, social integration;
• an inclusive environment in which everyone participates, including children with special educational needs;
• knowledge of safety during wartime;
• 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, security experts, parents, local authorities, benefactors and others).