Unity EURO Cup: Social inclusion through football
Dienstag, 14. Oktober 2025
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Everything you need to know about the annual UEFA-UNHCR tournament that highlights football’s role in helping refugees integrate into their host communities.
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The Unity EURO Cup is more than just a football tournament – it's a celebration of our sport's power to unite communities, regardless of background.
Organised by UEFA in collaboration with our partners UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), teams made up of refugees and players from their host communities compete in a mixed-gender event that puts the floodlights on sport’s vital role in facilitating social inclusion.
"Starting in unfamiliar surroundings is often challenging, but football can act as a powerful catalyst for integration and connection."
The Unity EURO Cup also helps to change the narrative around refugees by recognising how they contribute to their new communities, as leaders and role models as well as through their knowledge and skills.
Refugee Voices from across Europe
"Football is a unifying force in a world burdened by barriers," said UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin. "This tournament beautifully exemplifies our sport's profound impact on people's lives and promotes the values that UNHCR and UEFA stand for.
"Starting in unfamiliar surroundings is often challenging, but football can act as a powerful catalyst for integration and connection. It fosters understanding and unlocks opportunities for structured engagements and experiences that can genuinely affect our communities."
How do UEFA and UNHCR work together?
Partners since May 2021, UEFA and UNHCR have a shared commitment to using football’s reach and influence as a platform for strengthening social inclusion. Promoting the integration of refugees through sport is central to UEFA's Football Sustainability Strategy 2030. Similarly UNHCR's Sport Strategy – More Than a Game emphasises the role of sport in improving the lives of displaced people.
"This tournament is a great example of how sport can unite individuals and communities, break down cultural barriers and empower people," says Filippo Grandi, UNHCR's High Commissioner.
What is the event’s wider impact on European football?
The Unity EURO Cup’s impact has resonated across European football with several of our member associations introducing their own national editions, complete with qualification tournaments. In this way, the event has reinforced local partnerships between UEFA associations and UNHCR's country operations.
"Providing people whose lives have been severely affected by war, conflict, discrimination or persecution with opportunities to engage in sport can help them heal, strengthen their skills – or help develop new ones – and feel included,” says Grandi.
How does the tournament work?
The Unity EURO Cup is a seven-a-side tournament featuring teams from across Europe. Each squad consists of seven refugee players and four players from host communities, including at least three women.
For 2025, 18 teams will compete in an initial league phase, followed by a straight knock-out format. The top four teams in the league phase qualify automatically for the quarter-finals , while sides finishing fifth to 12th will play off to determine the other quarter-final teams.
Unity EURO Cup 2025
Eighteen teams - two more than 2024 - competed in the 2025 edition, that took place on 15 October at the Royal Netherlands Football Association (KNVB) headquarters in Zeist. For the second time, Finland lifted the trophy defeating Armenia in the final.
Participants: Albania, Armenia, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Malta, Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Rep of Ireland, Slovenia, Spain, Team EU.
Refugees also refereed matches thanks to an education programme by local club AVV Zeeburgia in partnership with the KNVB. Professional referee Serdar Gözübüyük oversaw the final.
"The best thing about this tournament is that refugees from all around Europe come together. We have a lot of good friends that we meet here. It means so much to people who have life as a refugee."
The day before the tournament, three refugees and representatives of UEFA, KNVB, the UN, the EU and the Dutch government have addressed a forum focused on boosting refugees’ access to national football structures and increasing support.
Guests include former Netherlands international Aron Winter and Khalida Popal, a prominent refugee leader.
The 2024 edition of the Unity EURO Cup took place at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland.
Nearly 200 players from 16 teams competed in a total of 33 matches, with Latvia beating defending champions Finland 4-1 in the final. The other teams involved were Armenia, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Slovenia, Spain and Switzerland. Additionally, a team of Ukrainian refugees from across Europe represented their homeland.
After the final, UEFA and UNHCR hosted a high-level panel discussion on "Refugee Inclusion Through Sport’. Moderated by Pedro Pinto, key speakers included UNHCR High Commissioner Filippo Grandi, UEFA Vice-President Laura McAllister and Célia Šašić, EURO 2024 and Team Germany ambassador, and Mary Edonga, Unity EURO Cup 2024 Team Northern Ireland refugee player.
"Football plays a great role in my life, " said Edonga. “I fled South Sudan because there is a civil war and came to Northern Ireland. It was a long and stressful journey. In Northern Ireland, I started playing football and it was a life-changing. When I play football, I'm just happy, I met new people, I learnt a new language and different cultures. It's like a big family."
In 2023, the Unity EURO Cup was held in Frankfurt, Germany, with Finland lifting the trophy after a 2-1 win over the Republic of Ireland.
Also represented at the 16-team tournament were Armenia, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Malta, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and an EU team – double the number of sides from 2022.
Former international referee, Felix Brych, who took charge of the 2017 UEFA Champions League final, officiated the final, while each team was also supported by an ambassador.
"The Unity EURO Cup connects people and nations and creates a positive atmosphere even in difficult times. On the pitch, everyone is equal, and everyone plays by the same rules," Brych said. "Being a part of this tournament means a lot to me, it was a great honour."
Eight national associations – Austria, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Malta, Republic of Ireland, France, and Switzerland – were represented in the inaugural edition of the Unity EURO Cup.
Germany emerged as the first winners, defeating Switzerland on penalties after a 2-2 draw in the final at the Colovray Sports Centre in Nyon, Switzerland.
Among the team ambassadors was former France international Laura Georges, who also played in the tournament. "The players are so passionate about football and so happy to be here. Football is a way to get to know people, to share our passions and include people so they don’t feel by themselves. It can link people and help people to be included in their communities.”