What grassroots football looks like around Europe

Grassroots football plays an important role in developing the game across Armenia, giving children from communities throughout the country the opportunity to play and fall in love with football. But not every grassroots pitch comes with a view like Lake Sevan. At around 1,900 metres above sea level, young players in the surrounding communities grow up playing with mountains on the horizon and one of the world’s largest high-altitude freshwater lakes nearby. It is one of Europe’s most distinctive grassroots settings.

In Austria, grassroots football doesn't stop where the mountains start. At Kühtai in Tyrol, players take on the country's highest-altitude pitch, while in Matrei in Osttirol, the SV Folkenstoan club has kept football alive at 1,513 metres above sea level for 50 years, ever since a local couple built the pitch by hand in the 1970s. In the remote Kleinwalsertal valley – so cut off by the Alps that it can only be reached by driving through Germany – youth coaches spend early spring digging two metres of snow off the pitch just to get a ball rolling again.

For almost three decades, a traditional football tournament played on a mini-pitch alongside one of the busiest and most important roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina has been held in Podorašac, near the city of Konjic. Every summer, this local pitch transforms into a real football arena and attracts large numbers of spectators from across the country.

The Kvarnerska Rivijera, first held in 1953 and one of Europe’s oldest youth football tournaments, celebrated its 72nd edition in 2026. At the same time, Croatian grassroots football is about making the game accessible to everyone through initiatives such as the Special Power League, which provides opportunities for disabled children to enjoy competitive football.

Grassroots football in Cyprus has entered a new era after the Cyprus Football Association (CFA) announced AFIS, a local NGO focused on sustainability, as its new partner for the island’s grassroots youth championships. Alongside running the tournament and promoting grassroots football, AFIS and the CFA are educating young players about environmental issues.

Top-flight club Bohemians Praha have found a unique way to connect elite football with the bottom of the amateur pyramid. The club has established a fully amateur 'C team' made up of the club’s fans and entered it in the ninth division, bringing together people from all corners of society.

The real strength of the grassroots game in Denmark lies with the thousands of volunteers who coach teams, mark pitches, wash kits, organise tournaments, referee matches, drive the children to and from games and serve coffee in the clubhouse. Without these usually unrecognised heroes, it wouldn't be possible for so many people to enjoy grassroots football in Denmark.

'FutsalSkaba' is a project run by the Finnish FA for nurseries and primary schools that aims at getting every single child involved. Taking place in January and February each year, children use a special soft futsal ball and different rules and pitch sizes may be employed depending on their age and ability.

Long before five-a-side pitches and football schools appeared in Greece, the beloved 'alana' reigned supreme. An alana is a sandlot, a vacant area in the neighbourhood where children would meet after school or late in the summer evenings to play football, applying their own rules and dreaming big. Many stars of Greek football sprang out of these playing areas, including Giorgos Koudas, who was spotted at the sandlots of Thessaloniki before becoming PAOK’s legendary playmaker.

One of Hungarian football’s most significant initiatives, the Bozsik Institutional Programme has been organised in its current form for more than a decade and provides schoolchildren with grassroots sports and football opportunities. In the 2025/26 school year, 152,991 children registered for the programme, including a record 45,118 girls.

Walking football is growing quickly in Iceland, with the Icelandic Football Association putting more emphasis on it in 2026 and reporting increased interest from clubs. It’s especially good for individuals who are looking for a healthy form of exercise they can do in the company of good friends, and who enjoy playing at a relaxed pace.

The Football Federation of Kosovo’s Kinder League is a grassroots initiative aimed at developing young footballers while promoting inclusion, teamwork and fair play. The project kicked off in Prizren and was also organised in other cities, with emphasis on participation, friendship, cooperation and ensuring every child feels like a winner.

The Latvian Football Federation places a strong emphasis on grassroots football, with a wide range of initiatives and programmes covering areas like football in schools, football for all and girls’ football. Latvia has also achieved success in amateur football, with the national team finishing in second place at the recent 3 vs 3 street football world championships.

Football infrastructure in Liechtenstein is remarkably well-developed, with a large number of football pitches in relation to the 40,000 population and easy access for all. Football clubs are important meeting points within local communities, and children, parents, coaches and volunteers often remain connected to their club for generations.

Grassroots football is popular in Malta because it is deeply embedded in the country’s culture and local communities. Young players are introduced to the sport from an early age through village clubs, school programmes and football nurseries, while strong support from the Malta Football Association helps promote youth participation and coach education.

During summer 2026, the Football Association of Moldova organised a special beach football festival for children with Down syndrome and from vulnerable communities. The children played barefoot on the sand alongside players and coaches participating in the Euro Beach Soccer League. It was a colourful and inclusive event that brought grassroots football to a unique setting and created a memorable experience for the children.

Nestled at the foot of Gorica Hill, the Stadion malih sportova (Small Sports Stadium) has been one of Podgorica's most iconic football venues since its construction in 1969. Its famous concrete pitch has hosted children who would go on to become some of Montenegro's biggest football stars, while over the past five years it has also been home to the Podgorica Trophy, a recreational football tournament that in 2026 brought together 70 teams from all over Montenegro and around 1,000 participants.

The Royal Netherlands Football Association has set up the Appropriate Football programme to help physically and intellectually disabled people play the game, and national disability teams give players the opportunity to represent their country.

From summer football camps to long-term strategies on growing the game, grassroots football is of crucial importance in Northern Ireland. The country's stadiums hold a special place in their communities, from Cliftonville's Solitude – Ireland's oldest club dating back to 1879 – to the Oval, home to Glentoran and famed for its 1950s aesthetic and links with the historic ship building industry.

One of the defining features of grassroots football in Norway is the principle of 'football for all', with a strong emphasis on inclusion in the youth game and keeping as many people as possible involved for as long as possible. The guiding idea is that football should provide joy, development and a sense of belonging, regardless of a child’s ability or ambitions.

Every child who has grown up playing football in Ireland will know what the inside of a shipping container looks and smells like. That is because there is not a club in the country that has not needed to use one as a dressing room at some stage. In the depths of winter with the wind howling and rain lashing, it is a welcome sanctuary. And then the door swings open and you are guided to the light of the pitch – the excitement never fades.

Grassroots football in Romania has grown rapidly over the past decade, with a particular focus on bringing the game to previously underserved rural communities, especially through the Romanian Football Federation's (FRF) Village Cup. Investment in facilities has also supported the growth of grassroots football – working with local authorities, the FRF has built mini-pitches right across Romania.

In Scotland, the way young people progress through the game is being rethought. The new player journey concept replaces the existing player pathway and aims to create a positive culture where children can enjoy the game and develop at their own pace. The strategy builds on research and knowledge exchanges with other countries, which have shown that early emphasis on winning can create unnecessary pressure and a loss of enjoyment for children.

For generations, children have often started playing football long before they join a club – on school playgrounds, concrete courts, local pitches and in informal 'mali fudbal' games. School football gives children across the country an accessible pathway into the game, while the UEFA Disney Playmakers programme gives girls a fun and safe introduction to football through Disney storytelling.

In Slovakia, Dajme spolu gól – Let's score a goal together – is introducing children to football and physical activity from a young age. Delivered in nurseries and the first year of primary school across the country, the project gives children regular opportunities to get active and enjoy exercise and provides an important link between children and local clubs.

In communities living through war, football is creating opportunities, building friendships and confidence, and helping people find joy and resilience – regardless of age, gender, ability or background. This is reflected through the Ukrainian Association of Football's (UAF) Open Football Festivals, which bring children together through the game while providing psychosocial support to those affected by the war, as well as the UEFA-backed League of the Mighty for amputees.

A significant milestone was reached earlier this year as the Football Association of Wales celebrated reaching a target of 120,000 registered players across the country. This success is the result of a major investment in grassroots facilities and encouraging participation at all ages and levels. Earlier this year, it was confirmed that over 20,000 of these players were female.