"Open Football Festivals": autumn season kicked off

In September-October, the Ukrainian Football Association and regional football associations will hold "Open Football Festivals".

"Open Football Festivals": autumn season kicked off

Photo: Dan Balashov

The goal is to attract children who previously did not engage in sports to mass football and provide them with psychosocial support and safety knowledge necessary during wartime.

The project began with a youth leadership training program for volunteers and young people from communities designated by regional associations — basic level seminars were held in Kyiv on August 10-13 and August 13-16 for 22 regions. In late October, the educational program is planned to continue at an advanced level.

In September-October, volunteers will conduct the first block of 22 autumn festivals in regions. For their participants who show interest in football, training sessions will be organized in football sections. Also, youth football hubs are being created in communities with the aim to attract and engage children and young people through various creative events. Last season, the project managed to involve over 14,000 children in football.

According to information from regional football associations, autumn festivals will take place in communities according to the following preliminary schedule:

  • September 17 — Cherkasy Oblast, Shpola District, village of Signaivka, Signaivsky Lyceum.

  • September 18 — Volyn Oblast, city of Rozhishche, Rozhishche District Children's Sports School.

  • September 18 — Ivano-Frankivsk Oblast, city of Dolyna, "Naftovik" stadium.

  • September 19 — Lviv Oblast, city of Busk, Busk District Children's Sports School.

  • September 22 — Vinnytsia Oblast, village of Tomashpil, Tomashpil District Children's Sports School.

  • September 22 — Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, city of Kryvyi Rih, KhFK "Penuel".

  • September 24 — Odesa Oblast, Nerubaysk District, village of Khолодна Балка, Khолоднобалківський Academic Lyceum №3.

  • September 24 or 25 — Poltava Oblast, city of Kremenchuk, Kremenchuk District Children's Sports School №2.

  • September 25 — Zakarpattia Oblast, city of Mukachevo, Dukhovycha Street 93, SOK Children's Sports School Mukachevo.

  • September 25 — Ternopil Oblast, Kopychynets District, village of Hadynkivtsi, Hadynkivtsi Village Lyceum.

  • September 25 — Kharkiv Oblast, city of Lubotin, Lubotin Lyceum №2.

  • September 25 — Khmelnytskyi Oblast, village of Letychiv, Kolos Stadium.

  • September 25 — Chernihiv Oblast, village of Kozelshchyna, Children's Sports School Stadium.

  • September 29 — Kirovohrad Oblast, village of Oleksandrivka, M. Shyshki Stadium.

  • September (date to be determined) — Mykolaiv Oblast, village of Migiy, Migiy Lyceum.

The following communities also have autumn festival dates set:

  • Poltava, Donetsk Oblast Specialized Vocational College of Sports Profile (organized by the Football Association of Donetsk Oblast);

  • Zhytomyr, Zhytomyr Regional Sports Lyceum;

  • Zaporizhzhia, Peremohy Street 131, SK "Titan";

  • Kyiv Oblast, village of Borodyanka, Municipal Stadium;

  • Rivne, Football Academy "Standard"; KhFK "Nadia";

  • Kharkiv Oblast, city of Lubotin, Lubotin Lyceum №2;

  • Kyiv, NTK for the preparation of youth and junior national teams of the UAF.