Helping hand from UEFA

Thirty-one projects
A total of 31 projects costing more than €32m have so far been approved by the board under the UEFA HatTrick investment programme scheme. The HatTrick programme was launched in August 2003 and will run until 2008. The objective of the programme is to assist UEFA's member associations with the funding of projects designed to develop and improve their footballing infrastructures.

Three main elements
There are three main elements to the programme: direct financial support in the form of one-off grants, payments for the construction of mini-pitches as part of the UEFA Golden Jubilee celebrations, and assistance with education courses.

Latest decisions
The HatTrick Board's latest decisions are:
- contribution to the enlargement of the Belgian Football Association's headquarters;
- development of the existing infrastructure in Albania, through a programme including the installation/renovation of irrigation systems, main stands and artificial-grass training grounds, and the provision of training equipment
- installation of floodlighting at the Ramat Gan national stadium in Israel
- development of the Cypriot Football Federation's House of Football in Nicosia
- construction of a new Liechtenstein Football Association head office in Schaan, Liechtenstein
- development of grandstands and infrastructure at the Tetovo football stadium in F.Y.R. Macedonia

Mini-pitch projects
In addition, UEFA contributions to various mini-pitch projects, in Estonia, Lithuania and Belarus, were approved by the HatTrick Board. Twelve mini-pitch projects for an overall amount of €6.8m have been approved over the past nine months.

Grassroots philosophy
The mini-pitch scheme aims to encourage each of UEFA's 52 member associations to build one mini-pitch before the end of 2004, with financial assistance offered to the associations for their construction. UEFA's grassroots philosophy is that people should have the possibility to play football anywhere and at anytime, especially in built-up areas.