The Austrian anti-discrimination organisation, and FARE partner, FairPlay held their 11th youth football tournament in Vienna over the weekend, promoting cultural exchange between children of Austria and the Balkans.

The ‘FairPlay Cup’” featured 50 clubs from Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary who competed in the U10 and U12’s categories.

Under the slogan ‘Vienna meets Balkan’, the initiative aimed to make a common stand against nationalism and racism in sport in a multicultural environment. As well as the football matches, participants also took part in workshops and an evening social event.

The youth tournament is part of the international project "Football Unites the Alps, Adriatic and the Balkans" organised in co-operation with UEFA, the FAs from Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro and the FYR of Macedonia, and supported by the King Baudouin Foundation.

The “FairPlay. Different Colours. One Game” initiative started in 1997 during the European Year Against Racism with the support of the European Commission and the Austrian Ministry for Sports, and organises activities against discrimination in Austrian football.