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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
3 October in Ternopil the seventh game of the social project “Day with the King Team” by Betking Foundation and its founder Pavlo Zhuryl o took place. This time on one field 50 children and 11 professional footballers from the football club “Niva” Ternopil met.
The match format is traditional for the project, but unusual for professional football: a team of 50 children plays against 11 professional footballers. Without distance between professional athletes and young players: they go out onto the field together, score goals, celebrate successful moments, and simply enjoy football.
For children – this is an opportunity to step onto the same field as professional players and feel part of a real football match.
“I was really looking forward to this day, but I never thought we would play with footballers like this, truly. I will remember the match most and that after it we could talk with the players and get autographs. Now I want to train even more and someday play for a professional team,” said 11-year-old Sviatoslav Romanchuk.
Football that helps return childhood
“Day with the King Team” was created especially for children affected by the war. Among participants are the children of current servicemen and fallen defenders, internally displaced children, and children from families who have felt the consequences of Russia’s aggression.
The idea of the project is through sport, communication, and positive emotions to give children the opportunity to leave everyday worries outside the football field for at least one day.
Before the match, children trained together with professional footballers, and after the game they talked with them, took photographs, received autographs and gifts.
“The war has taken many ordinary things from Ukrainian children, but it has not taken away their right to dream. That is why it is important for us to create moments when a child goes onto the field with professional footballers and sees: a big dream is not somewhere far away, it can be much closer than it seems. For some this match will remain a bright memory, for others it will become an incentive to train, believe in themselves, and not give up on their dream. For such moments we continue ‘Day with the King Team’, involve new football clubs, and expand the project’s geography. We want as many Ukrainian children as possible to gain this experience,” said founder of Betking Foundation Pavlo Zhurilo.
In FC “Niva” they also emphasize that participation in the project gives the club an opportunity to be closer to children for whom football has already become a part of life.
“For our players this is also a special match. On the field you see not just 50 children, but 50 little footballers who truly love this game. Perhaps for some of them today’s meeting will become another push to continue training, work on themselves, and dream of professional football. We are glad to be part of such a day and to see these emotions of children live,” said the head coach of FC “Niva” Ternopil Ivan Fedyk.
From one match to a nationwide project
Ternopil became the next city on the map of “Day with the King Team.” Over two years the project united more than 330 children from different cities of Ukraine.
Matches were held in Kyiv, Bucha, Rivne, Oleksandria, Irpin, and Uzhhorod. Professional football clubs participated in the initiative, which for one day became not screen and stand athletes for children, but opponents and partners on the football field.
Betking Foundation plans to continue expanding the geography of “Day with the King Team” and to involve new football clubs so that children from different regions of Ukraine can participate in such matches.
Ukrainian project that has received international recognition
“Day with the King Team” made it to the final of the United Nations Global Compact competition “Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals 2025.”
In 2026 year the project also received two Davos Communications Awards: gold in the category “Best Sports or Entertainment Campaign” and silver in the category “Best Campaign on Social Media.”
For Betking Foundation these awards are international recognition of a Ukrainian social initiative that, as a tool to support children, creates space for communication, new experiences, and dreams.
About Betking Foundation
Betking Foundation, founded by Pavlo Zhuryl o and part of King Group, turns social initiatives into real opportunities for children and youth. The foundation pays special attention to internally displaced children and those who lost loved ones due to the war, helping them through sport, education, and psychological support. Betking Foundation invests resources in creating a healthy and safe environment for children, helps them develop team spirit, gain new knowledge, and restore emotional balance. The foundation’s social mission is to create opportunities for the harmonious development and social adaptation of the younger generation.
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