Series of Grassroots events this summer

Grassroots activities
While UEFA EURO 2004™, the UEFA European Under-19 Championship final round and the European Youth Football Seminar at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland are the main high-profile UEFA events during the coming months, they will be accompanied by grassroots activities organised by UEFA's 52 member associations as part of the 'European Festival of Grassroots Football'.

Various competitions
The associations have decided to stage an array of competitions for young footballers in different categories. In countries such as Belgium, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Northern Ireland and Slovakia, the events will feature children as young as six years of age. Some 100,000 youngsters are likely to take part in competitions in Belgium alone. Some countries are aiming at the 16-17 year age bracket, while others are staging grassroots events for adults. Armenia is, for example, staging a tournament for players over the age of 40.

Disabled tournament
Futsal is an increasingly popular arm of football, and tournaments for adults are taking place in the Czech Republic and Ukraine, while disabled players will participate in a football festival in Andorra in the form of a Special Olympics tournament. The same country is again hosting the fifth Francesc Vila Memorial Tournament for youth teams from throughout Europe. Certain tournaments will be open to girls and boys, such as the President's Cup in Latvia, which will involve more than 7,000 boys and 1,000 girls. A special girls' day is planned in Germany, and girls between 12 and 19 are earmarked for tournament action in Belarus.

Football camps
In addition, there are numerous football camps for young footballers throughout the continent. Children as young as four will be able to learn about football in camps and schools being held in Iceland throughout August. The Republic of Ireland is expecting around 20,000 children and youth players aged between seven and 16, while Northern Ireland is opening 24 football development centres for summer activities.

Beach football
'Football Holidays' is a summer grassroots initiative in Ukraine. Some 200 boys and girls from schools where teachers were instrumental in organising football lessons are taking part in tournaments and events. Belgium's North Sea coast resorts will offer beach football tournaments, while Slovenia is focussing its summer grassroots activities on street football.

Love of the game
UEFA is delighted to see so many grassroots events throughout Europe in a year when European football is reviewing a memorable 50 years and looking forward with optimism to the future. "The production of elite players is not the main purpose of grassroots programmes," said UEFA technical director Andy Roxburgh, whose football development division within UEFA is heavily involved in grassroots promotion. "Participation and a love of the game are the core values which underpin a dynamic all-inclusive grassroots football environment."