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The ball is in play: Kickoff press conference for EUROPEADA 2024


When Germany hosts the UEFA European Football Championship in the summer of 2024, classic matches such as England vs. Germany will provide the best entertainment. But goals will also be scored between teams like South Tyroleans vs. Roma or Sorbians vs. Frisians – at EUROPEADA, the European Football Championship of the autochthonous national minorities, which will take place from 28 June to 7 July 2024 in the German-Danish borderregion around Flensburg.

Where are the venues? How are the preparations going? And: What are autochthonous minorities? The more than 20 journalists who attended our kickoff press conference for EUROPEADA 2024 on 28 March had many questions – and got detailed answers as well as vivid impressions of what this very special football tournament, which will take place for the fifth time next year, is all about. The conference took place in a hybrid format, so that besides the local and regional press, media representatives from other countries also had the opportunity to participate via live broadcast. Fortunately, this offer was well used: journalists from South Tyrol, the Hungarian minority in Romania, Slovenes in Italy and the Burgenland Croats followed the conference.

"A player once told me: It's the toughest football tournament in the world. Because if you make it to the final, you play six 90-minute football matches in seven days," said project manager Ruwen Möller at the presentation. But there is so much more than "just" football: in addition to the traditional culture day, there is a lot of supporting programme planned to convey the values of EUROPEADA – tolerance, diversity, respect. He described that the preparations are now in full swing: Talks with sports clubs, officials, possible sponsors and accommodation providers are on the agenda. "Registrations are underway and we have initial commitments. My wish is that we double the number of women's teams to eight in contrast to the last edition."

"After two EUROPEADA tournaments in the mountains, the motto now is: 'Rüm hart - klaar Kiming' (Frisian: 'wide heart, clear horizon')," said FUEN Vice President Gösta Toft, for whom the event will be a home game as a member of the German minority in North Schleswig, Denmark. "Between the seas" is also the motto of EUROPEADA, as the venues in northern Schleswig-Holstein and southern Denmark are framed by the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Toft emphasised from experience that the tournament will create added value for the whole region and will move a lot of positive things. A major goal, he said, is to draw the attention of the majority population to minorities – in this context, the media is an important player.

"All minorities are invited to be part of it," he stressed, pointing out the various possibilities of support that FUEN as well as the hosts have in place.

FUEN Secretary General Eva Pénzes highlighted a special feature of the next EUROPEADA: for the first time, four minorities are behind the tournament, which was initiated by FUEN, as hosts. The Sinti and Roma in Schleswig-Holstein, the Frisians, the German minority in Denmark and the Danish minority in Germany form the quartet of hosts.

The registration of teams for EUROPEADA is open until 1 May.

Background: 

FUEN is the founder and coordinator of the tournament and organises EUROPEADA together with the local organisers. Previously, the European Minority Football Championship was held in Graubünden/Switzerland (2008), Lausitz/Germany (2012), South Tyrol/Italy (2016) and Carinthia/Koroška, Austria (2022). The tournament is a major sporting event that combines fair competition and the excitement of a sports festival with the matters of the autochthonous, national minorities.

 

Photocredit: Rasmus Meyer/SSF

The ball is in play: Kickoff press conference for EUROPEADA 2024

Latest news

Event

European Football Championship of the autochthonous national minorities

European Football Championship of the autochthonous national minorities

Organisation

Federal Union of European Nationalities

Federal Union of European Nationalities

 

Mute Hate Speech

Mute Hate Speech

Partners

Federal Ministry of the Interior and Homeland de / UEFA

Federal Ministry of the Interior and Homeland de / UEFA

 

Sydslesvigudvalget

Sydslesvigudvalget

 

Sportland SH

Sportland SH

 

Stadt Flensburg

Stadt Flensburg

 

Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg

Kreis Schleswig-Flensburg

 

Tønder Kommune

Tønder Kommune

 

Region Syddanmark

Region Syddanmark

 

Haderslev Kommune

Haderslev Kommune

 

Aabenraa Kommune

Aabenraa Kommune

 

Sønderborg Kommune

Sønderborg Kommune

 

Kreis Nordfriesland

Kreis Nordfriesland

 

Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde

Kreis Rendsburg-Eckernförde

 

Miniszterelnökség, Nemzetpolitikai Államtitkárság Bethlen Gábor Alap

Miniszterelnökség, Nemzetpolitikai Államtitkárság Bethlen Gábor Alap

Local organisers

German Minority in Denmark

German Minority in Denmark

 

Sinti and Roma Organisation

Sinti and Roma Organisation

 

North Frisian Minority Association

North Frisian Minority Association

 

Danish minority in Germany

Danish minority in Germany

Local sponsors

Select

Select

 

Union Bank

Union Bank

 

Rohde Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH

Rohde Verkehrsbetriebe GmbH

 

Flensborg Avis

Flensborg Avis

 

Der Nordschleswiger

Der Nordschleswiger

 

Na Logo

Na Logo

 

Hotel des Nordens

Hotel des Nordens

 

Hudl

Hudl

 

hpo Steuerberater

hpo Steuerberater

 

Strandet

Strandet

 

Naturgeflüster

Naturgeflüster

 

Flensburger Brauerei

Flensburger Brauerei

 

Knipskasten Flensburg

Knipskasten Flensburg

 

Phono Flensburg

Phono Flensburg