Unity EURO Cup: Mahmoud’s story
Wednesday, October 14, 2026
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Syrian refugee Mahmoud Ali explains how football helped him to connect with people in his new home in Germany. Now he supports other refugees through the same organisation that helped him.
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In Syria, Mahmoud Ali only played football at school and for fun, but after he arrived in Germany in late 2015, the sport quickly became a huge part of his life.
It was only through participating in open football training sessions with Berlin-based organisation Champions ohne Grenzen (Champions Without Borders) that he was able to find a sense of community and friendship.
"When you first arrive, you can’t even attend a language class because you don’t have a residence permit," he says. "Sports were the only way to meet people."
A decade later, Mahmoud is now a board member of the organisation that helped him settle in. It offers sessions in football, volleyball, running and more, as well as advice and legal counselling for refugees.
"It has become a true culture," Mahmoud says. "Sometimes when people are injured, they just come to drink tea after training."
His work as a board member didn’t stop him from playing football. This year, Mahmoud has been invited by the German Football Association to represent Germany at the 2026 Unity EURO Cup in Florence.
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.
From refugee to coach
With a low barrier to entry, including no sign-up, participation fees or commitment to a fixed schedule, Champions ohne Grenzen fosters community and integration through sport, while also working with local football clubs to create opportunities for players and coaches.
"I did a workshop through Champions and then got my coaching licence with the Berlin football federation, which is how I ended up coaching kids in club football," Mahmoud explains.
"I wanted to do something to learn the language quickly, and this was perfect for me, because the kids aren’t afraid. When I made mistakes with the language, they corrected me immediately and that was helpful for me: I learned from them, and they learned a little bit of football. We supported each other."
Coaching has been a big part of Mahmoud’s life over the past few years – and has led to some special moments. "In one of my youth teams, there was a girl who was able to join Union Berlin’s youth system," he recalls. "It made me so proud. I wasn’t the one taking this step, but the club and I were able to have an impact."
"We hope that we will be able to do well and put in a good performance at the Unity EURO Cup, but for us the most important thing is to have fun."
Building back
Like many refugees, Mahmoud didn’t have documents proving his educational background and job training when he first arrived in Germany, which meant he had to repeat his school qualifications and complete an apprenticeship.
He now works full-time for BVG, Berlin’s public transit operator, while studying for a degree in energy management at evening school.
“It can be really exhausting doing eight hours of work and then going to school for another three hours or so, but it’s also fun because I want to continue my education,” he says.
As Mahmoud’s work and school commitments take priority, he has less time for football, but he still leads Champions ohne Grenzen’s running club.
“Recently, seven or eight of us from the running group participated in the Berlin Marathon,” he says. “Almost everyone set their new personal best and I was so happy that I was able to have a little bit of a hand in them reaching their goals.”
Representing a new country
Mahmoud will be travelling to Florence to represent Germany at the Unity EURO Cup alongside others from Champions ohne Grenzen.
"Last year, we organised our own Unity Cup with the German Football Association. We were going to do the same this year, but there was a heatwave and we unfortunately had to cancel," he says. "But our team won the award to travel to Florence.
"We hope that we will be able to do well and put in a good performance, but for us the most important thing is to have fun."
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