Against the backdrop of the UEFA EURO 2024 tournament, young people from the region took part in UEFA-led training sessions hosted by FC FUTURES and Adidas Ambassador Ian Wright, inspiring the next generation with the Universal Game.
Cologne, June 25, 2024 – Last week, EA SPORTS FC™ FUTURES hosted a UEFA Festival of Football event in the heart of the UEFA EURO 2024 Fan Zone in Berlin, at the Adidas Football House. Having introduced more than 170,000 people* to grassroots football in its first year, today’s event saw the FC FUTURES initiative collaborate with Adidas and UEFA to host training sessions for more than 50 local teenagers, in a continued effort to grow the Universal Game for all.
The training sessions, led by official coaches from UEFA and the German Football Association (DFB), are taken from the FC FUTURES Academya free-to-access online training library, currently available in six languages including German, that uses EA SPORTS FC 24 game footage to improve football skills. FC FUTURES’ use of game footage for the training practice library blurs the lines between the physical and digital worlds of football, providing players and coaches with an innovative way to encourage participation in the game.
“It’s inspiring to be here at UEFA EURO 2024, not only to see the best of European men’s football compete, but also to host the FC FUTURES training sessions for the next generation,” said James Salmon, Senior Marketing Director, EA SPORTS FC. “We are incredibly grateful to our partners at UEFA and adidas who are also committed to developing accessible, community-led football programmes, and we look forward to continuing our investment with year two of FC FUTURES to grow the game for everyone.”
The training sessions took place at the Adidas Football House in the UEFA EURO 2024 Fan Zone, and focused on speed – inspired by Adidas’ reintroduction of the F50 football boot, as featured in EA SPORTS FC 24. After a 9-year hiatus, the iconic F50 returns with enhanced technology designed to help today’s athletes use their speed to break through rigid patterns of play and experience the thrill of playing football on their own terms.
“We are delighted to bring grassroots football to this year’s UEFA EURO 2024 tournament in Germany with EA SPORTS FC,” said Olivier Doglia, UEFA’s Head of Technical Education and Development. “EA SPORTS FC FUTURES’ innovative training practices seamlessly fuse virtual and real-world football experiences and together we aim to inspire the next generation to take to the pitch and compete in The Universal Game, just like their national heroes on the pitch at UEFA EURO 2024.”
FC FUTURES and Adidas Ambassador Ian Wright also joined the session, providing the youngsters with a truly memorable experience, also sharing his own experience of grassroots football, and highlighting the importance that initiatives like FC FUTURES can have on younger generations.
“I am delighted to be here at UEFA EURO 2024 for an incredible tournament and to see EA SPORTS FC FUTURES and Adidas teaming up to support the next generation of young players,” said Ian Wright. “Bringing grassroots football to events like this is a huge inspiration to these young, local players and really shows the importance of supporting football at all levels.”
The Adidas Football House, located in the UEFA EURO 2024 Fan Zone opposite the Reichstag, will be active throughout the tournament. This 18,000 m² area offers visitors the opportunity to experience the great celebration of football, where they are invited to participate, watch, enjoy and celebrate the joy of the game. Fans can also play the authentic UEFA EURO 2024 in EA SPORTS FC 24 in the dedicated EA SPORTS FC 24 gaming zone.
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