European Club Association (ECA), today organised a charity activity supported by non-profit organisations Eleven Campaign and Desmos. Local children had the unique opportunity to meet football legends and players in aid of ECA’s emergency fund for recovery projects that will support Greek communities and sporting facilities which were affected by the wildfires in Greece this summer.
As part of the initiative, ECA is making a pledge of contribution to Desmos, a local foundation that supports community projects across Greece and works alongside Eleven Campaign, an international non-profit organisation that uses the power of sport to refurbish football pitches that have been damaged by wildfires.
This initiative is testament to ECA’s core objective of using the power of football transform lives, unite communities and build a sustainable future for all by creating the ECA Foundation which will be formally up and running in 2025.
Nasser Al-Khelaïfi, ECA Chairman, said: “The wildfires in Greece this year have been a tragedy and our thoughts remain with the communities so deeply affected by this climate emergency. It means the work of ECA Foundation is becoming even more important. We must partner with local experts to play our part in providing some relief – not just in moments of crisis, but also through proactive initiatives that make real, positive change. We are committed to today’s event being the first of many of these initiatives and we will continue to bring the benefit of football to as many as possible.”
The event, which took place at the newly refurbished football pitch in Neos Voutzas outside Athens, brought together Antonis Nikopolidis, Kostas Katsouranis, Takis Fyssas, Anastasia Spyridonidou, Anastasia Gkatsou, Stavros Pilios, Robert Ljubicic, Rodinei, Antonis Papakanellos, Dimitris Limnios, Hörður Björgvin Magnússon, Nikos Papadopoulos, and Nikos Kosteas to mark the initiative. Local schoolchildren also had the opportunity to take part in a football tournament at the brand-new facilities.
Dariusz Mioduski, ECA Vice-Chair, stated that: “Community is at the very heart of the ECA Foundation. Our mission is to leverage the power of football to build connections, promote unity, and offer hope to those who need it most. By investing in these spaces, we create environments that ensure a lasting legacy within these communities”.
Kyriakos G. Kyriakopoulos, Chief Operating Officer of Eleven Campaign, added: “This collaboration marks a significant step in supporting communities affected by the wildfires in Greece. The ECA Foundation's generous donation will be crucial in expanding our efforts in refurbishing pitches across Greece in regions devastated by the fires, offering much-needed hope and opportunity”.
In the last two years, ECA donated over €1.5 million to those in need. In collaboration with the UEFA Foundation for Children, ECA provided €1 million in funding through its Ukraine Relief Fund, supporting clubs who were assisting displaced children and families during the Ukrainian humanitarian crisis. In March 2023, following the catastrophic earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria, ECA donated €500,000 to support post-disaster efforts. Additionally, ECA has worked closely with the UN Refugee Agency since signing a new partnership in 2023, including a fund-raising campaign of 200 shirts donated by 175 clubs at the last ECA General Assembly.
The ECA Foundation is committed to supporting initiatives that foster a more inclusive, sustainable and healthy world through the power of sports, with today’s event marking the first of many collaborations for the Foundation with local partners.
