European Week of Sport

European Week of Sport

Last week (from the 23rd of September until the 30th of September) the European Week of Sport took place. Across Europe people were motivated to #BeActive. The European Week of Sport promotes more active, healthier lifestyles to millions of people in Europe and beyond. This week exists to improve awareness of the importance an active lifestyle has for everyone. This year the goal was to express that sport supports a better future for the youth, promotes inclusion and equality, and helps people reach a healthier lifestyle.

This year the EFDN member clubs were active in pushing this message to their fans and communities. Organising various activities that got the participants to be active and to build a healthier lifestyle for their future.

EFDN has many different ongoing projects that promote a healthy lifestyle and help get people to be more active in their day to day life both during and outside of the European Week of Sport. A few examples of these programmes are:

COMMUNITY CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

The Community Champions League is an EFDN project in partnership with nine community-engaged football clubs from the Netherlands, England, Scotland, Norway, Portugal, Hungary, Belgium and Germany. NAC Breda, Feyenoord, Aberdeen FC, Chelsea FC, Club Brugge, SV Werder Bremen, Vålerenga Fotball, Ferencvarosi TC and SL Benfica deliver the Pan-European programme in collaboration with EFDN. 

The Community Champions League is a social street football competition organised locally in nine cities in eight different European countries, where the participating teams can win more points through Fair-Play, Fair Support and Volunteering in community activities than by winning their street football matches.

With the aim of promoting social integration through sport, the Community Champions League provides the opportunity for people from different cultures to come together to build relationships and friendships while breaking down barriers through the prevention of violence, racism and intolerance in grassroots sports and their communities.

WALKING FOOTBALL LEAGUE

The Walking Football League aims to deliver health-enhancing physical activity to people over the age of 50 years old, as well as provide opportunities to increase social inclusion levels allowing them to lead a physically and socially active lifestyle in their European community. The Walking Football League will further develop Walking Football as a sustainable sport in Europe and raise the profile of the game.

HEALTHY FOOTBALL LEAGUE

EFDN launched the European Healthy Football League which is an app-based competition encouraging football fans of all ages to make healthy lifestyle choices and compete against fans from other clubs. Together with their fans, the clubs strive to become the healthiest club in the city, country and Europe. Any fan with a phone using Android or iOS can register and start scoring points for their club.