adidas unveils CHAMPION THE GIRLS – a dedicated space for young girls to experience the unrivalled euphoria of watching the UEFA Women’s Champion League.
The collaborative programme reserves a block of seats for young girls – and their accompanying role models – to experience a European football club final, perhaps for the very first time.
This seeks to set the stage for lifelong connections to the sport and help ignite a flame in the next generation of the women’s game.
Building on the fandom and momentum of 2022, adidas’ announcement comes as the world readies for what promises to be an incredible summer for women´s football – punctuated by the UWCL final.
However, with women and girls hanging up their boots at a younger age, and at higher rates than boys, adidas aims to build a connection to football amongst the emerging generation.
BY MAKING STEPS NOW TO INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION OF WOMEN AND GIRLS, WE CAN HELP CEMENT THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR BETTER EQUITY IN THE FUTURE OF THE GAME. LOVE AND PASSION FOR FOOTBALL, AND SPORT, OFTEN STARTS FROM WITNESSING THE MAGIC CREATED BY THE BIGGEST PLAYERS, UNDER THE LIGHTS AT THOSE SPECIAL VENUES. IT ALSO STARTS FROM HAVING ROLE MODELS ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING THEIR FOOTBALL JOURNEY – FROM THE VERY FIRST KICK OF A BALL, TO AN APPEARANCE ON-PITCH.
“BY OPENING UP THIS INVITATION TO FUTURE YOUNG FANS, MAYBE WE’VE SAVED A SEAT FOR THE FUTURE RUSSOS AND MIEDEMAS OF THE WORLD, WHO’S CONNECTION TO THE GAME WAS BORN FROM THAT SPECIAL NIGHT IN D BLOCK.”
Gonzalo Calvo, Global Director of Brand Communication, Communities and Culture at adidas
Nadine Kessler, Managing Director of Women’s football at UEFA said: “A UWCL Final can create special and long-lasting memories, and connections for everyone involved.
With this, we’re incredibly proud to back this adidas commitment, setting up a platform to inspire and support the future of the women’s game, today.”
The CHAMPION THE GIRLS announcement is the latest initiative in adidas’ long-term commitment to help make football equal because when it comes to sport, fair play doesn’t yet exist for all.
From an understanding that this can’t be done alone, adidas works collaboratively with – and supports – fellow changemakers on the journey to enabling access, equity and safety for all who want to play.
Beyond CHAMPION THE GIRLS, 1% of net sales of the UWCL Pro-Ball Eindhoven made by adidas will be contributed to the Common Goal movement, aiming to increase participation, representation and leadership for women and girls in the grassroots game.
To support the launch of CHAMPION THE GIRLS, adidas has pictured some of its biggest athletes alongside their loved ones in striking campaign images that celebrate the role that parents and role models play in driving positive influence on the next generation of players and fan.
The collection features Del Piero and Kaka with their daughters, Ian Wright with his granddaughter, and Russo and Zadrazil with their mothers.