The Ciudad del Fútbol hosts a new edition of the UEFA Playmakers Training Course

With enthusiasm and a strong commitment to helping young girls discover the joy of the game, twenty coaches from regional federations across Spain completed the training course at the Ciudad del Fútbol. Since its creation, UEFA has implemented this initiative in 46 countries, including Spain through the RFEF, to create safe and engaging environments where girls can enjoy football while learning through play.

The course presentation featured contributions from Stuart Grieve, UEFA Player Development Specialist; Iván Cancela, Director of the RFEF Coaching Department; Reyes Bellver, Director of Women’s Football at the RFEF; Julia Martínez Tomé, Grassroots & Playmakers Manager; and Mamen Blasco, Lead Coach Educator. In Spain, more than 400 girls have already participated during the 2024–2025 season thanks to the support of over 20 centers across the country.

“This program’s goal is to give girls the opportunity to connect with the ball and fall in love with playing football,” said Stuart Grieve, highlighting its growth and impact across Europe as UEFA’s first pan-European initiative specifically designed for girls. Addressing the coaches, he emphasized: “The most important factor for this program to succeed is you. It is essential to create an environment where the girls feel welcome, supported, and encouraged to stay. That is why we use Disney stories—to make it a quality experience where they feel empowered to make decisions and learn at their own pace.”

Among the program’s objectives are encouraging girls to play regularly and, in a later stage, helping them transition into the sport more fully. “When girls have a positive first experience with football, they are more likely to return to the game and remain engaged,” Grieve added.

The event also included remarks from Iván Cancela, who thanked UEFA “for supporting Spanish football through initiatives like this, which allow girls to take their first steps in a safe and fun way, while also increasing the presence of female players and coaches in the sport.” Similarly, Reyes Bellver noted that “this program has a very positive impact and fits perfectly with the objectives of both the RFEF and the Women’s Football Department: to increase the number of women in football, including more female coaches.”

The training course also welcomed guest speakers such as Felipe Sánchez-Pedreño, Javier Sierra from the Madrid Football Federation, and representatives of Olympia Las Rozas Women’s Football Club, which provided young participants so that the coaches could put their training into practice.

It was, without a doubt, a valuable and inspiring experience for both the coaches and the young girls—centered around a football, and never without a smile.