UEFA has awarded the Italian Football Federation the “UEFA Football and Refugee Grant Scheme 2025/2026” for the project “Road to Unity EURO Cup 2026 – Refugee Mini-tournament in Italy.” The initiative includes a mini-tournament, with training sessions aimed at preparing the Refugee Team Italy to take part in the Unity EURO Cup, which is set to take place in October 2026 in Coverciano.

Through the “Road to Unity EURO Cup 2026” project, the FIGC reinforces its commitment to promoting integration through football, offering a formative experience and a tangible opportunity for social inclusion. UEFA’s decision demonstrates the importance of initiatives promoted by the Federation to support refugees living in Italy and host communities across the country.

The project will support Refugee Team Italy journey, who also featured in the 2025 edition of the Unity EURO Cup held in Zeist, where the Italian team finished in the top eight after showing steady progress that had already been evident in previous editions of the tournament. It’s a competition that Team Italy have featured in every edition of since 2022, establishing a solid and recognised presence.

The initiative is part of the wider programme of activities already carried out by the Italian Football Federation in support of refugees and asylum seekers, including the tournament which took place a year and a half ago in Tirrenia as part of the UEFA Football and Refugees Grant Scheme 2023/2024.vThe three-day event, focused on sport and inclusion, united Refugee Teams from Italy, Slovenia, and Ukraine, as well as young people involved in the FIGC RETE Refugee Teams project. It provided an opportunity to meet, share experiences, and grow, enriched by educational activities, cultural visits, and social moments.