The international social project "Target — Young Footballers and Football Players as Ambassadors of Gender Equality" aims to promote gender equality in youth football teams and beyond. It demonstrates the commitment of European partners and the sports community to ensure freedom of choice and equal opportunities for all — girls, boys, women, and men — to be part of sports and hold leadership positions.

The project is supported by the European Union. The partners of the UAF in this project are the Latvian Football Federation, the Romanian Football Federation, the Malta Football Association, UNIMORE (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia), FORMODENA (an Italian center for professional education and training in Modena) and EURACTIV (an independent pan-European media network).

"You have a unique opportunity to play on the field where Ukraine's youth and national teams played. I hope that one of you will make it into the national team — either women’s or men’s."—Igor Gryshchenko, General Secretary of the UAF.

Eight teams from different corners of Ukraine united on the football field

Girls and boys born in 2012–2013 from Kyiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv, Kostenets, and Shpol took the field. Eight teams participated in the tournament: "Mariupolchanka," "DYSS Podil," "Sport Lyceum of Ivano-Frankivsk City," "Amazonka," "Vioryka," "Sport Lyceum of Kostenets City," "Atex-DYSS No. 16" and "Zhyvir." Based on the results of the group stage, teams competed in two leagues — Gold and Silver.

Video message from ambassadors

Before the awards ceremony, participants watched a video message from project "Target" ambassadors — Ukraine's national team goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and women’s national team player Daria Apanshenko addressed the children.

"It's great that you are playing this 'Target' tournament together. Girls and boys show that anything is possible in football. So enjoy the game, develop — everything will be fine,"— added Anatoliy Trubin.

"I want to tell you that your place is where you want it to be. If this is the football field — come out, play and enjoy. May respect, support and love for football prevail."— said to young athletes and athlete girlsDaria Apanshenko.

Tournament results and award ceremony

A special moment of the award ceremony was the appearance of women's national team playerVeronika Andrukhiv. She greeted the teams and announced her own nomination — best player of the tournament. This honor went to goalkeeper of "Sport Lyceum of Ivano-Frankivsk City" Sofia, who Veronika personally presented with her shirt.

"I am glad to be here today. I wish you would not stop at what you have achieved and move forward only. I especially welcome the team from Ivano-Frankivsk — this is where my football journey began,"— she said.

In the Gold league, victory went to Sport Lyceum of Ivano-Frankivsk City. Second place was taken by FC "Zhyvir" from Shpol (Cherkasy region), third — DYSS Podil (Kyiv). An award for participation was given to Sport Lyceum of Kostenets City (Rivne region).

In the Silver league, champion was FC "Amazonka" from Lviv (Volyn region). Second place went to Mariupolchanka (Donetsk region), third — Vioryka (Kyiv). An award for participation was given to Atex-DYSS No. 16 (Kyiv).

"Today we united girls and boys. We are fighting fairly for the massification of women's football. And boys in this tournament supported girls, together they created an incredible synergy on the field: used each other’s strengths, girls showed their character, strength, and unbreakable spirit. This was truly an amazing combination,"— summed up Nastasya Klypachenko, head of the Women's and Girls' Football Committee at UAF.