EURO 2024: EA Sports & Adidas offer sessions for football’s next-generation

credit: EA Sports
credit: EA Sports

During a UEFA EURO 2024 fan event in Berlin, EA Sports and Adidas worked together to organise training sessions for teenage boys and girls, coached by football legend Ian Wright

After opening up grassroots football to over 170,000 people over the course of its first year, the event saw the FC FUTURES initiative collaborating with Adidas and UEFA to organise training sessions for over 50 local teenage boys and girls.

The training drills, led by official UEFA and German Football Association (DFB) coaches, were taken from the FC FUTURES Academy, an online library of practices using EA SPORTS FC 24 in-game footage to improve footballing skills. 

FC FUTURES’ use of in-game footage for the library of training practices aims to blur the lines between the physical and digital worlds of football, providing players and coaches an innovative way to drive participation for the game.

James Salmon, Senior Marketing Director of EA SPORTS FC, said: “It’s inspiring to be here at UEFA EURO 2024, not only to see the best of European men’s football compete, but to host FC FUTURES training sessions for the next generation. 

“We’re incredibly grateful that our partners at UEFA and adidas are equally committed to developing accessible and community-led football programmes, and we’re looking ahead to continuing our investment with Year 2 of FC FUTURES to grow the game for all.”

The training sessions took place at the Home of Adidas Football in the UEFA EURO 2024 Fan Zone and was focused on speed – inspired by adidas’ reintroduction of the F50 football boot.  

FC FUTURES and Adidas ambassador Ian Wright also joined the session, providing the youth with a recollection of his own experiences with grassroots football. 

Wright said: “I’m excited to be here at UEFA EURO 2024 for an incredible tournament and to see EA SPORTS FC FUTURES and Adidas come together to support the next generation of young players. 

“Bringing community level football to events like this, serves as great inspiration for these local young players and really showcases the importance of supporting football at every level.”

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