Futbol Mas wins 2026 Laureus Sport for Good Award for community work

At the 2026 Laureus World Sports Awards, held on 20 April at the Cibeles Palace in Madrid, the Sport for Good Award went to Fútbol Más, an organisation that has spent more than fifteen years harnessing the universal appeal of football to lift up children in vulnerable communities. The award, one of the most meaningful at the ceremony, recognises grassroots programmes that use sport to drive lasting social change.

Founded in Chile in 2008, Fútbol Más now operates in eleven countries across South America, Europe and Africa. Its model is built around football tournaments held in schools and local neighbourhoods, where children and young people play in a safe, structured environment. While the matches unfold, the organisation's specialists work alongside parents, coaches and community leaders, helping them build more inclusive and resilient local spaces. The aim is not simply to teach football skills but to strengthen wellbeing, social ties and a sense of belonging.

“The award, one of the most meaningful at the ceremony, recognises grassroots programmes that use sport to drive lasting social change.”

The 2026 edition of the awards celebrated a wide range of athletic excellence, with tennis players Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka named World Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, and gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci honoured for lifetime achievement. Yet the Sport for Good Award stands apart, shining a light on the quieter, transformative power of sport in everyday life.

For the children who take part in Fútbol Más programmes, the impact is measured less in trophies than in confidence, friendship and stability. By placing play at the heart of community development, the organisation embodies the idea that sport can be a force for good far beyond the scoreboard, reaching young people who most need encouragement and a sense of hope.