Gazprom as the official sponsor of the UEFA Champions League launched the Football for Friendship international social project in the framework of the Gazprom for Children global program. The project is aimed at using love of sport to instill modern values in the younger generation, namely, respect for other cultures and nationalities, equality, as well as interest in a healthy lifestyle.

Children's and youth football teams from eight European countries: the UK, Germany, Russia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia and Greece will take part in the project. A total of four groups will be made up of boys and girls between 10 and 16 years old. The first group will comprise 11 teams from 11 Russian cities hosting the matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, including two teams of orphanage residents. The second group will consist of football teams from sports schools and academies on the basis of the clubs sponsored by Gazprom: Zenit (Russia), Chelsea (UK), Schalke 04 (Germany), Crvena Zvezda (Serbia). The third group will comprise the teams who won the Children's Spartakiada Games of Gazprom and the Fakel children's creativity competition. The fourth group will include the teams from the South Stream project member countries (Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovenia and Greece).

Football for Friendship will be held under the auspices of Franz Beckenbauer, one of the most famous football players in the world.

The key event of the project will be the international forum of children's football teams that will take place between May 24 and 26 in London.

“Promoting children's sports is a priority of Gazprom's social policy. Giving younger generations the opportunity to unlock their talents and instilling the love of a healthy lifestyle in them means laying a solid foundation for harmonious development.

Football is popular all over the world. Its language is understood by people of different nationalities and religions, with different principles and characters. That's why within our project teenagers will learn to cooperate and respect each other by playing football. It will help them both in studies and in future careers, while regular exercises will give them strength for future victories,” said Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee.

“Football is a fair game. There are no boundaries for football. It creates genuine friendships which last for decades. The Football for Friendship project will help children break national and race barriers, it will become their school of a healthy lifestyle, teamwork, collective victories and losses. Creating these values for children throughout Europe is a worthy goal, and it is a great honor for me to support it,” said Franz Beckenbauer.