September 24: UEFA will host eight national under-18 men’s teams in Nyon from today for the third edition of its Friendly Cup, this time expanding the confederation’s global development program beyond Europe.
Until October 3, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Ivory Coast, England, Egypt, South Korea and Spain will compete at the Colovray Sports Center next to UEFA’s Swiss headquarters.
The tournament was originally launched in 2024 under UEFA’s ‘Together’ initiative, which is designed to share knowledge with associations outside Europe and create links between the wider football community.
This makes the Friendship Cup slightly different from a standard youth tournament, as players and coaches will also participate in educational sessions covering areas such as anti-doping prevention and match-fixing.
UEFA says it also uses the event to expose teams to different training methods and playing styles.
The competition has become another part of UEFA’s international relations work, with teams from various confederations brought into the same environment at an important stage in player development.
Zoran Lakovic, UEFA Assistant General Secretary for International Affairs and Director of National Associations, said: “The UEFA Friendship Cup reflects our belief that the impact of football extends far beyond the pitch. By bringing together young players from different confederations, we are creating opportunities not only to develop their football skills, but also to learn from each other, experience different cultures and build friendships.
“Through UEFA Together, we are committed to strengthening cooperation between the global football community and ensuring that young people can benefit from the opportunities that football offers. We look forward to welcoming the participating teams to Nyon for another edition of this special tournament.”
All matches will be broadcast live on UEFA’s YouTube channel and UEFA.tv.
Coinciding with the event will be a football festival, which will take place from 30 September to 3 October, and will open the event to local schools, clubs and supporters for activities alongside the tournament.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at (email protected)
