Unity EURO Cup: Yusra’s story
Monday, October 12, 2026
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Settling in a new country as a refugee can demand learning a language, making new friends and finding where you belong all over again. After fleeing Somalia to find safety in Austria, Yusra found that one football session a week opened the door to all three.
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Arriving in Vienna as a teenager, Yusra found herself starting a new life in unfamiliar surroundings, with people speaking a language she could not yet fully understand.
But on the football pitch, she found a space where those challenges didn’t feel so daunting.
"I could feel like I belonged through football. I didn’t have to worry about where I came from or what language I spoke," says Yusra. "On the pitch, we were simply teammates, playing together and enjoying the game."
From one weekly session, football grew into a central part of her new life: a way to make friends, practise her German and discover opportunities that once seemed beyond reach. Yusra is now preparing to represent her adoptive country in the 2026 edition of the Unity EURO Cup.
The Unity EURO Cup
The fifth edition of the Unity EURO Cup will take place on 15 October at the Italian Football Federation's technical centre in Florence. It 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 UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, 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.
Kick-starting a new beginning
Yusra loved football long before she arrived in Austria, although she had few opportunities to play in Somalia. She found her way back to the sport through Breaking Grounds, a non-governmental organisation supported by the Austrian Sports Ministry, that uses sport as a catalyst for social change.
A weekly session turned into many more, then a spot in the Youth Leader Academy and the opportunity for Yusra to become a football coach herself for Breaking Grounds. Every week, she now trains a team of under-13 girls who hope to follow in her footsteps.
"Football became a place where I felt accepted and where I could be myself."
Today, Yusra plays for different teams and football shapes much of her everyday life. Representing Austria at the Unity EURO Cup will be another milestone in her remarkable journey, bringing her one step closer to her dream of one day playing for Somalia’s national team.
"They gave me a chance, believed in me and helped me grow," she says of Breaking Grounds. "I didn’t know where that first step would take me. I just knew I wanted to play football."
Finding her place
As Yusra grew more confident on the pitch, she began to feel more comfortable away from it. Conversations with teammates became opportunities to practise German. Training brought friendships and connections with people from different backgrounds.
"Football became more than just a sport," she explains. "It became a place where I felt accepted and where I could be myself."
The game has also taken her into unfamiliar surroundings of a very different kind. In August, she attended the UEFA Super Cup in Salzburg with the UEFA Foundation for Children and met Somali referee Omar Artan – a memorable encounter with someone who shared both her heritage and her passion.
Closer to home, becoming a coach has given Yusra a chance to help younger girls develop their confidence, drawing on the encouragement she received herself.
"I want to give them the same feeling that someone believed in me and gave me a chance."
The girl who once felt unsure about meeting new people is now someone others can turn to for support and motivation.
Ahead of the 2026 Unity EURO Cup, we are sharing the stories of refugees taking part and exploring how football has helped them build new lives