The festival brought together children of different ages, giving them a day filled with football, movement, teamwork, new acquaintances, and positive emotions.

The deputy mayor of Mukachevo City, Yulia Taips, officially opened the festival by welcoming young participants and wishing them a good mood, bright impressions, and satisfaction from the sports event. The executive director of the Zakarpattya Football Association, Viktor Naskalov, also attended the event.

The moderator of the festival was Yaroslav Kozik, while instructors Timur Bilei, Yaroslav Kogutych, Oleksandr Holin, Mykhailo Diorca, and Vasyl Dudka provided assistance with children at thematic locations.

The festival program was designed so that each child, regardless of their level of football preparation, could express themselves, try various exercises, and enjoy the game. Participants went through thematic locations with football exercises, relay races, speed contests, agility tests, coordination challenges, and accuracy tasks.

A particularly important part of the event was a safety location organized by representatives of the explosive ordnance disposal service of DSNZ. Experts interactively introduced children to mine safety rules, explained the algorithm for dealing with suspicious items, and demonstrated examples of their professional equipment. Throughout the entire festival, medical services were on standby at the stadium to ensure the health of young athletes and provide prompt first aid if needed. The main principles of the festival remained play, friendship, mutual support, and team spirit.

It is worth noting that this event marks the beginning of a long-term initiative. During the season-2026/2027 in Mukachevo, a youth hub "Open Football Festivals" will be active. Its work will focus on regularly engaging children who do not professionally train at DYSKSH in active leisure activities. The hub will help young people develop sports skills, find like-minded individuals, and spend their time usefully in a friendly atmosphere.

Special attention was paid to creating a safe, welcoming, and relaxed environment for children during the event. Because "Open Football Festivals" are much more than sports competitions. There is no main goal of determining a winner here. The greatest victory lies in children's smiles, new friends, and the desire to return to the football field.

We remind you that this project is implemented by the Ukrainian Football Association within its donor program "Restoration and Resilience under Youth Leadership in Ukraine" with support from the Cross-Cultural Projects Association and organization CISU ("Civil Society in Development") from Denmark.

The Ukrainian Football Association's project "Open Football Festivals" is:

— youth leadership and volunteer development in communities; 

— psychosocial support for children of military personnel in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, internally displaced persons' children, and children affected by war; 

— an inclusive environment where everyone participates regardless of abilities and gender, including children with special educational needs; 

— knowledge of safety in wartime; 

— the philosophy of mass football — joy from playing instead of results at any cost; 

— the first football experience for children.