Our long-standing partner UEFA has just launched the third edition of UEFA Champions Innovate, an initiative that harnesses innovation to drive social and behavioural change through football.
This year, the programme turns its focus to the beating heart of the game — grassroots football — with one overarching challenge:
How can we create positive environments and role models that encourage positive behaviours in grassroots football?
In collaboration with the Hungarian Football Federation, this edition will culminate in Budapest, host city of the UEFA Champions League Final 2026, where selected innovators will showcase their solutions.
The programme explores four key sub-challenges, each centred on the people shaping the grassroots experience:
- Parents – Engaging parents to model positive behaviours, encourage participation, and foster supportive football environments.
- Coaches – Equipping coaches to go beyond technical skills and inspire lifelong engagement.
- Workforce – Attracting, motivating, and retaining volunteers to ensure the sustainability of grassroots football.
- Women – Increasing representation and role models for girls and women in the game.
Each selected solution will receive €25,000 to develop and pilot their concept in partnership with local amateur clubs in Hungary. Successful pilots could then scale across other European National Associations.
This year, UEFA Champions Innovate welcomes a wider range of participants — from startups and research institutions to NGOs and academic organisations — all invited to deliver tangible, scalable solutions with real impact on the game and its communities.
🔗 Learn more and apply: UEFA Champions Innovate 2026
ThinkSport is proud to highlight UEFA’s ongoing commitment to innovation and collaboration that connects sport, technology, and positive societal impact — values we continue to champion across our own network.