Promoting healthier lifestyles in Munich with Champions Innovate
Monday, June 2, 2025
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The second edition of our Champions Innovate programme once again brought UEFA, its partners and start-up companies together to ensure the Champions League final leaves a lasting legacy in the host city.
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In the iconic surroundings of the Altes Rathaus (old town hall), the 2025 Champions Innovate final showcase celebrated two start-ups that have spent the last eight months working on projects to help promote physical activity around this season’s Champions League final in Munich.
With the invaluable guidance and support of our partners Mastercard and adidas, the City of Munich and the German Football Association (DFB), the two start-ups – Equip Sport and FC Urban – took different approaches but each delivered solutions that will continue to encourage healthier lifestyles long after the final whistle in Saturday’s showpiece at the Munich Football Arena.
Connecting football players across Munich
FC Urban, teaming up with Mastercard, created an app that connects amateur footballers across Munich with local pick-up matches. Logistics such as bibs and balls are all taken care of, and players are also able to track their stats.
By connecting people who may never have met, FC Urban is not only making it easier than ever to play the game but also unlocking new communities around the city.
In Munich alone, more than 445 users have registered in just two months, resulting in more than 33 matches.
But the app’s impact is not limited to Munich. It is now being used by people of 171 nationalities in 16 cities across five countries, resulting in around 500 games a week. The initiative is also benefitting the women’s game by creating a safe environment for female players.
"It seemed impossible to get access to venues, but that’s the power of working with Mastercard. We managed to find venues in Munich and now we play seven days a week. So far 33 games played and 445 registered users – one guy thanked me for giving him a new group of friends and a new routine."
Champions Innovate
Improving access to sport
Meanwhile, adidas and Equip Sport worked together to install 35 'sports boxes' – lockers with footballs and basketballs – throughout Munich, allowing anyone to sign up, scan a QR code to access the gear they need and get active. The scheme is set to expand into other sports in the near future.
Over the past 24 days, the boxes have been used by 1,450 people, resulting in 12,000 hours of sport. Of those who have used the boxes, 85% would not have otherwise played sport without the equipment.
Discussing these findings was Equip Sport founder Henry Nidecker and Marc Makowski, senior vice-president for creative direction and innovation at adidas.
"Programmes like this are extremely important for start-ups, which can be very fragile. The fact that UEFA put on a project like this to support start-ups can make a difference for us to change the world. It gave all the team the confidence to succeed."
"Sport has the power to change lives. This is a prime example. We are competing for people's time – one of the best ways to spend time is to be active. Bringing people together creates a completely different experience. There are very few things that create those connections like sport does."
'Incubator for new ideas'
Launched by the UEFA Innovation Hub for the 2024 Champions League final in London, Champions Innovate fosters collaboration between commercial partners, innovative start-ups, host cities and our national associations to solve modern challenges and leave a positive legacy.
After just two editions, the programme has already achieved these aims – and more.
As part of last year’s Champions Innovate, Just Eat Takeaway and My Emissions teamed up to conduct carbon assessments and labelling of the food menus served on-site at the 2024 Champions League final.
The same again happened at this season’s final, with Just Eat's head of global sponsorship Marijn Vredendaal-Luchtman citing the initiative as crucial to bringing their sustainability strategy to life.
Andrea Traverso, UEFA financial sustainability and research director, told the audience how “Champions Innovate has grown into much more than a programme. It has become an incubator for new ideas in European football – one that delivers tangible outcomes."
Traverso also highlighted the collaborative aspect of the programme as the driving force behind its real-world impact so far.
"Like in football itself, it’s teamwork that drives meaningful progress. As we often say at UEFA: innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It is powered by open minds, diverse perspectives and a common goal."
An ambitious future
Following another successful season, Champions Innovate will return for the 2026 Champions League final in Budapest, with the theme 'Data for Good'.
This third edition will explore how innovative data solutions can help measure our game's environmental and societal impact.
"It’s an ambitious direction – one that speaks to UEFA’s broader commitment to sustainability, transparency and long-term impact," explained Traverso. "We are already looking forward to building new partnerships around this exciting theme."
There will also be a Women’s EURO innovation showcase taking place during this summer’s tournament in Switzerland.