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UEFA and Disney have announced a four-year extension of UEFA Playmakers inspired by Disney to 2027. This pan-European participation initiative, powered by Disney stories, has already introduced tens of thousands of 5–8-year-old girls across Europe to football.
UEFA and Disney are proud to welcome Disney’s Academy Award-winning animated musical comedy Encanto, the latest film to join UEFA Playmakers, after Disney Pixar’s The Incredibles 2, Disney’s Frozen 2 and Disney’s Moana.
Nadine Kessler, UEFA Managing Director of Women’s Football, said, “We are really excited to see UEFA Playmakers expand over the next four years and to continue our partnership with Disney. Combining physical activity with the magic of Disney has proved a winning combination to introduce girls to football, get parents involved and give every girl the opportunity to experience the joy of our beautiful game. I am excited to see professional football players emerge in the future who can trace their love for football back to their very first Playmakers session.”
Nicole Morse, Vice President Brand and Franchise Marketing, Disney EMEA, said, “UEFA Playmakers inspired by Disney has been such a brilliant collaboration that it was a no-brainer to continue the programme for another four years. It’s been so satisfying seeing our strong female characters and stories, such as Moana and Frozen, being such a force for good, inspiring families and children to get more active and to kick start a love of football. The feedback from girls, parents and coaches has been so positive and we look forward to engaging new audiences with our storytelling, starting with our new Encanto story going live in 47 national associations across Europe.”
A magical experience for girls, parents and coaches alike
UEFA Playmakers has made a tangible impact in national associations across Europe. Succeeding in the aim of getting more girls playing through movement, play and storytelling and providing unique opportunities to girls as a safe, fun and engaging entry pathway into the game.
Inspired by academic research, UEFA Playmakers sessions are held in 47 European national associations in over 3,800 locations. More than 73,000 girls have taken part in the programme that has trained over 5,200 UEFA Playmakers coaches.
Feedback* from girls, parents and coaches who take part in UEFA Playmakers demonstrates the tremendous positive impact of the programme in Europe:
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- 96% of girls really enjoy the sessions.
- 91% of girls want to continue playing football.
- 94% of parents would recommend sessions to other parents.
- 75.3% of parents are more confident in their daughter playing football more regularly after UEFA Playmakers.
- 71% of coaches say they have become a better coach through working with UEFA Playmakers.
- 68% of UEFA Playmakers coaches are female and 43% had no prior coaching experience when joining UEFA Playmakers. Of the 292 coach educators, 63% are female.
Paving the way for girls in football
The Playmakers story has only just begun, and UEFA will build on this momentum to ensure that girls are not only introduced to football but continue playing. UEFA Playmakers’ key ambition is to ensure each Playmakers centre has a clear pathway into football for player and coaches alike. To achieve this, UEFA will support national associations with dedicated experts providing mentor support and follow-on programmes.
In addition, UEFA will provide greater access to UEFA Playmakers content, enabling girls, families and teachers to enjoy UEFA Playmakers activities independently of the sessions.
Countries taking part in the UEFA Playmakers programme
Seven countries were part of the initial pilot phase in February 2020: Austria, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Romania, Scotland and Serbia.
In less than four years, an additional 40 countries have also joined the programme: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Finland, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales.
