Football: FIGC, the Unity Euro Cup 2026 in Coverciano

The Unity Euro Cup 2026, a tournament dedicated to refugees and their host communities, kicks off tomorrow in Coverciano, from early morning until evening.

Organized by UEFA in collaboration with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, it will be held for the first time in Italy. The FIGC has chosen the national Federal Technical Center for the fifth edition of a one-of-a-kind tournament which makes football a tool for social inclusion and integration. In addition to the Italian team, there will be 21 protagonist teams, all made up of 11 players: seven refugees and four representatives of the host communities.

At least three members of the squad must be women, the game is played in seven-on-seven matches.

The blue 'Refugee Team' - which this year includes, in addition to the 4 Italians, 2 athletes from Mali and the others from Afghanistan, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Gambia and Guinea - has always participated: third place in the first edition, in 2022, was the best sporting result.

Participating are Albania, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Northern Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lichtenstein, Malta, the Netherlands, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland. The twenty-second team is a representative of the European Union. The Federal Technical Center will therefore be populated by around 400 people, including players and team staff.

Given the large number of participants, the highest ever recorded, a 'European cup style' formula was developed, with a championship phase in which each team will play three matches. On Thursday morning, Italy will face Poland (9am), Armenia (10am) and Malta (11am), in order. The final, scheduled for 5.30pm, followed by the awards ceremony.