On June 29, the 10th Football World Cup of Children from Care Homes came to a thrilling close at Legia Warsaw’s city stadium.
Out of 22 teams from around the world, it was Ukraine that came out on top, defeating Slovakia in a dramatic penalty shootout. The Turkish team claimed bronze medals.
The tournament featured nearly 220 young players from 22 countries, with matches held across two venues – OSiR Bemowo and Legia Warsaw stadium. In total, 66 matches were played, 165 goals were scored, including 9 in the action-packed final between Ukraine and Slovakia (5:4). Thousands of fans and tens of thousands of smiles made Sunday, June 29, a day to remember in Warsaw.
“It’s a great joy and honor for us to host the World Cup for Children from Care Homes in Poland for the tenth time,” said Andrzej Lisiak, the tournament’s founder. “This is a major international event featuring children from as far away as Japan, Jordan, and Thailand. Every year, it becomes increasingly clear how much of a real impact this tournament has on the lives of these kids. It gives them the courage to dream—and to chase those dreams.”
“We’re also thrilled to see growing support for children from care homes from both institutions and companies. This year, we were honored to welcome Carine N’koué, Secretary General of the UEFA Foundation for Children, a key supporter of our initiatives. One unforgettable moment was the participation of Monika Horna-Cieślak, Poland’s Children’s Ombudsperson, who brought both passion and heart to the exhibition match.”
The semi-finals, held at Legia’s stadium on June 29, saw Lithuania (after a quarterfinal win over Poland), Slovakia (after defeating France), Ukraine (victorious over Thailand), and Turkey (who beat the Czech Republic) go head-to-head.
Ukraine ultimately claimed the championship title after a tense penalty shootout against Slovakia. A standout performer was Jaroslav Dzen, who was later named Best Goalkeeper of the tournament. Turkey secured third place by beating Lithuania 2–0.
“It was a very challenging tournament for us, but we’re taking home lots of positive memories,” said Pavlo Kostyluk, coach of the victorious Ukrainian team. “We proved that unity is our strength, and our great communication on the pitch helped us win today. Of course, there’s always room to improve—but for now, we celebrate. Tomorrow, we start preparing for the next championship. Winning gold comes with responsibility!”
As tradition, the tournament also recognized the top individual talents:
Top Scorer: Noah Celestin (France)
Best Female Player: Gabija Malakauskaite (Lithuania)
Best Player and recipient of the Biedronka Main Sponsor Award “Biedronka’s Hope”: Kristian Oraćko (Slovakia)
Best Goalkeeper: Jaroslav Dzen (Ukraine)
Youngest Player: Jacio Alberto Costa Rodriguez – 10 years old (Portugal)
Most Joyful Player: Somsakul Suphakit (Thailand)
The Fair Play Team award went to Estonia, while Italy was named the Most Joyful Team of the tournament.
Following the grand finale, the traditional exhibition match took place – this year in the form of a mini-tournament. Competing were the YouTube & TikTok Stars team, a team of TV celebrities, and the International Care Home Children’s Team, featuring Monika Horna-Cieślak. With such support, the outcome was clear: the children’s team triumphed, defeating the media stars in style!
A family-friendly sports picnic accompanied the event, and fans in the stands were treated to a giant 300-kg anniversary cake to mark the 10th edition of the tournament.
This extraordinary event would not have been possible without the support of many organizations committed to the well-being of children from care homes. For over a decade, Biedronka, the tournament’s main sponsor since 2018, has believed in the power and importance of this mission.
“At Biedronka, one of our core values is doing the right thing. And there’s nothing more right than helping others—especially those who don’t have an equal start in life,” said Konrad Nafalski, Senior Corporate Communications Manager at Biedronka. “For these children, football is more than a game. It’s a way to build confidence and believe in a brighter future.”
The 10th World Cup for Children from Care Homes welcomed teams from:
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Greece, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Latvia, North Macedonia, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, and Italy.
Organizer: Hope for Mundial Association
Co-organizers: Vita Activa Association, UNICEF Poland
Honorary Patrons: Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Ministry of the Interior and Administration, Ministry of Family and Social Policy, Ombudsperson for Children, Polish Football Association, UEFA Foundation for Children
Main Sponsor: Biedronka
Sponsors: Blachy Pruszyński, Pruszyński Foundation, InPost, Nova
Strategic Partner: City of Warsaw
Main Partners: Active Warsaw Sports Center, Legia Foundation, Warsaw Public Transport Company, POLADA Anti-Doping Agency, Zina
Media Patrons: TVP Sport, Halo Warszawo!, WP.pl
Editorial Patron: RMF.FM
The 10th World Cup was co-financed by the City of Warsaw.
Supported by: Zenith Media Agency, FleishmanHillard Warsaw
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