Since 2021, UEFA Playmakers has brought the magic of Disney stories to over 1,800 girls in Ukraine, and the new cartoon in the program is “Encanto”.

Parents in Ukraine reported that UEFA and Disney’s first pan-European initiative for girls, UEFA Playmakers, inspired by Disney, inspired their daughters who participated in the programme to play football (82%) and join a local team (100%). UEFA and Disney have announced the extension of the UEFA Playmakers programme for four years, until 2027.

UEFA Playmakers Photo

UEFA and Disney are proud to present Disney's Oscar-winning animated musical comedy Encanto, the latest animated film to join the UEFA Playmakers programme, following Disney's Incredibles 2, Frozen 2 and Moana, all of which featured a strong female lead.

First Vice President of the UAF Anatoliy Demyanenko said about the program: “We are very pleased with the impact that the UEFA Playmakers programme has had in Ukraine, helping young girls get their first experience of playing football. We have seen many girls join local teams after participating in the programme.”

UEFA Playmakers Photo

UEFA Playmakers program coach Andriy Strelchenko from the city of Synelnykovo, in the Dnipropetrovsk region, noted: “I really like the opportunity to use fun games as a way to instill a love of football in girls from an early age. Using recognizable Disney characters creates a great atmosphere in the classes, as both the girls and the coaches can communicate on a common topic. The program really brings the girls together by their interests, and the storytelling approach helps to keep them interested.

"Being with other participants, the girls feel more at ease, which means they are less afraid to ask questions and make mistakes. During the classes, the girls become more confident in their ability to work with the ball and other equipment, and their communication improves due to a common interest and knowledge of the characters."

A magical experience for girls, parents and coaches

The UEFA Playmakers programme has had a significant impact in Ukraine and has been successful in engaging more girls in football through movement, play and storytelling, and has provided girls with unique opportunities to join the game in a safe, fun and engaging way.

UEFA Playmakers Photo

Inspired by academic research, UEFA Playmakers classes are conducted in 30 centers in Ukraine by over 82 coaches who have been trained under the UEFA Playmakers program.

Across Europe, UEFA Playmakers sessions are held in 48 European national associations in over 3,800 cities. Over 73,000 girls have participated in the programme, which has trained over 5,200 UEFA Playmakers coaches.

Feedback from girls, parents and coaches participating in the UEFA Playmakers program demonstrates the program's huge positive impact in the country:

• 100% of girls tried soccer for the first time with the program;
• 100% of girls enjoyed the program;
• 91,73% of parents now feel more confident when their daughters play soccer;
• 94,7% of parents would recommend the program to friends and relatives.

Paving the way for girls in football

The Playmakers story is just beginning, and UEFA will build on this momentum to ensure that girls not only get to know football, but also continue to play it. The main aim of the UEFA Playmakers programme is to provide each Playmakers centre with a clear pathway into football for both players and coaches. To achieve this goal, UEFA will support national associations with dedicated experts who will provide mentoring support and follow-up programmes.

UEFA Playmakers Photo

In addition, UEFA will provide wider access to UEFA Playmakers content, allowing girls, families and teachers to enjoy UEFA Playmakers activities regardless of sessions.

“We are delighted to see the UEFA Playmakers programme expand over the next four years and continue our partnership with Disney,” said UEFA Women’s Football Executive Director Nadine Kessler. “Combining physical activity with the magic of Disney has proven to be a winning combination to introduce girls to football, engage parents and give every girl the opportunity to experience the joy of our beautiful game. I am delighted to see future professional footballers who can trace their love of football back to their first Playmakers session.”

UEFA Playmakers Photo

Nicole Morse, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Franchising for Disney in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said: “The UEFA Playmakers programme, inspired by Disney, has been such a brilliant collaboration that it was no doubt a no-brainer to continue for another four years. It has been great to see our strong female characters and stories, such as Moana and Frozen, being such a force for good, inspiring families and children to be more active and sparking a love of football. The feedback from girls, parents and coaches has been very positive and we look forward to engaging new audiences with our stories, starting with our new story ‘Encanto’, which will air in 47 national associations across Europe.”

UEFA Playmakers Photo

Countries participating in the UEFA Playmakers programme

Seven countries participated in the initial pilot phase in February 2020: Austria, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Romania, Scotland and Serbia.

In less than four years, 40 more countries, including Ukraine, joined the program.

You can view the program's Facebook page by link.

Attention media

Media interested in learning more about the UEFA Playmakers programme can visit www.uefa.com/playmakers.

In July 2023, Leeds Beckett University conducted a comprehensive study of the 31 UEFA national associations participating in the UEFA Playmakers programme. Data was collected from 1,392 parents and 965 coaches.