FOOTBALL FOR UNITY
FOOTBALL FOR UNITY 2024
SARI and NEIC are delighted to announce that this year’s Football for Unity Festival will take place in Dublin’s north-east inner city during June and July 2024.
The Football for Unity Festival will showcase the potential of football as an educational tool which can bring communities together and promote social inclusion.
The festival comprises a number of football tournaments in various age categories and takes place at venues across the north-east inner city of Dublin, invoking the spirit of the Gloucester Diamond.
Further details regarding registration procedures will be provided in April.
FOOTBALL FOR UNITY 2023
FOOTBALL TOURNAMENTS
The tournaments are free to enter and open to various age groups.
Matches will take place at four all-weather astro pitches across the north-east inner city.
Teams are 7-a-side with a squad of 12 players allowed.
Matches are 50 minutes with a half time break.
Matches are played Monday-to-Friday nights between 7pm and 9pm.
Teams will play at least one match per week.
Tournament age groups are as follows:
Men: 18 - 25, Under-18, Under-16
Women: 18 - 25, Under-18, Under-16
Mixed Gender: Under-13
Click here for the Tournament Age Rules
THE FOOTBALL FOR UNITY STORY
The UEFA EURO 2020 was held in 11 different cities across 11 European countries.
The unique multi-country structure provided an ideal platform to showcase the potential of football as an educational catalyst to lead to positive social inclusion outcomes for third-country nationals (TCN).
Although Dublin was ultimately not a host city for EURO 2020, it remained one of the seven cities chosen to host Football for Unity festivals.
SARI — in conjunction with local stakeholders NEIC, UNHCR, Irish Refugee Council, Dublin City Council, the FAI and Bohemian FC — hosted a Football for Unity festival incorporating 7-a-side football tournaments across the north-east inner city of Dublin, a Youth Forum and a Legacy programme of training nights.
The inaugural Football for Unity festival was funded by the European Union’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund and supported by the UEFA Foundation for Children.
FOOTBALL FOR UNITY 2022 IN NUMBERS
Total number of teams 46
Total number of players 548
Total number of player from non-Irish nationality 286
Total number of girls/young women 186
Total number of girls under-18 124
Total number of boys under-18 171
Total number of additional participants 122
Total number of participant gaining PDP coaching badges 12
VOLUNTEER FOR FOOTBALL FOR UNITY 2024
If you would like to volunteer for this years festival then please contact us at: info@sari.ie
Football for Unity 2024 is supported by the North East Inner City initiative and Dublin City Council.
