The McDONALDS FOOTBALLPLUS For Kids

The Malta Football Association, in collaboration with the Youth Football Association and with the support of McDonalds (Malta) Limited is pleased to announce the launch of a new educational football programme for boys and girls. The programme which will run over the next three years, will be named The McDONALDS FOOTBALLPLUS For Kids. The McDonalds FOOTBALLPLUS For Kids is one of MFA’s Grassroots Programmes, which form part of MFA’s Strategy for Growth & Retention in local football participation. MFA’s plans were laid out as a result of the outcomes from our association’s participation in a UEFA Pilot Project amongst six chosen European National Football Associations, to offer marketing support to these NAs, with the ultimate aim for these associations to: Improve the image of football across Europe;Grow participation;Grow Fan Engagement;Grow and optimise revenues from second inventory, and;Strandardise measurement. MFA intends to step up its efforts andcontinue to tackle the key challenges affecting the game.While we arecommitted to support our volunteers by providing better technology solutions, encouraging more people to play football more often across a range of formats, creating new opportunities and improvefacilities, we are also committed to invest further in our educational programmes, targeting young football players, coaches, administrators and parents, and increase participation  - especially the number of female players.Above all we seek to IMPROVE THE IMAGE OF THE GAME OF THE PEOPLE The McDonalds FOOTBALLPLUS For Kids is an educational football programme targeting:Growth & Retention among the younger generations;The further promotion of the local game;Improve the image of the game, and;The development of better football players. The McDonalds FOOTBALLPLUS For Kids programme will run between February and May of years 2016, 2017 and 2018, comprising of 4 or 5 Regional Football Festivals for children aged Under 11 years, wherein 8 to 10 football nurseries participate in each festival. The festivals will not only present the children with an opportunity to enjoy playing football, but will also include numerous educational activities, such as educational and cultural tours to specific sites at the hosting locality, football health and safety tips, etc. Moreover, each football festival will deal with a social theme. The first of the 2016 Series of festivals is scheduled for Sunday 21st February at the Mgarr Football Ground, (Programme enclosed), with SAY NO TO BULLYING being the social theme being presented. The other festivals will be on the dates listed hereunder: Sunday 26th March 2016 at the Żebbuġ Football GroundSunday 10th April 2016 at Dingli Football GroundSunday 15th May 2016 at M’Xlokk Football GroundSunday 22nd May at the Victor Tedesco Stadium, Hamrun This year’s programme will also incorporate McDonalds’ own Player Escort Campaign for the EURO 2016 Finals, which will take place in France later this year. More details about McDonalds’ Player Escort Campaign are also enclosed. The McDONALDS EURO 2016 PLAYER ESCORT CAMPAIGN The Malta Football Association, in collaboration with the Youth Football Association and with the support of McDonalds (Malta) Limited is launching a new educational football programme for boys and girls. The programme will be named The McDONALDS FOOTBALL PLUS For Kids.This year’s programme will also incorporate McDonalds own Player Escort Campaign for the EURO 2016 Finals, which will take place in France later this year. o   Two player escorts will be chosen and sent to the Euro 2016, one for the Final Match in Paris and the other one for the Semi Final in Lyon. o   Applications will be accepted from kids (boys & girls) aged between 6 – 10 years, and even kids who are not enrolled to any football nursery can apply. o   The campaign will be divided in two phases:-   §  Phase 1 – Application Stage during the FOOTBALLPLUS For Kids’ five (5) Football Festivals,§  Phase 2 – Final Football Activity whereby the 2 winners will be announced on the day.  75 other children who would have been shortlisted for the final football activity will be given the opportunity to act as Player Escorts at prestigious football matches held locally, and which would include a match or matches from the 2018 IFAL World Cup Qualifiers. o   The registration forms will be handed over to children during each of the Football Festivals but a soft copy will also be available and will be sent via email to each Nursery and may be electronically distributed to all kids enrolled in each football  nursery. o   Other children not registered in a Nursery will have the opportunity to apply from within any of the McDonalds restaurants in Malta & Gozo or online from McDonalds’ website – www.mcdonalds.com.mto   Children will be asked why they should accompany one of the football players at the EURO 2016 final and semi-final matches. o   The final football activity will be held on Sunday 1st May, and Boys and Girls who would have been shortlisted to participate in the final football activity will be personally informed. o   Winners will be announced on the day of the Final Football Activity. o   Registration forms in hard copies are to be handed in at any of the Football Festivals or at the Youth FA Offices, via the football nursery and have to reach McDonalds (Malta) offices by the 18th April 2016.   The MFA would like to thank the Youth F.A. for their collaboration and McDonalds for their support to make this programme possible.