EUROPEADA 2016 – heading towards South Tyrol

24 Men’s teams and 6 women’s teams will participate in the EUROPEADA 2016, announces FUEN, the organiser of the tournament. For the first time, there were more teams who were interested and who submitted their application, so that for the first time there is a reserve list. Many of the participating teams are long-time members of FUEN. The complete team list including the official names of the teams will be published before the group draw (14 December 2015 in Bolzano/Bozen).

At the tournament a total number of 24 minorities will be represented with their teams. Six of these minorities registered both a men’s and women’s team and have therefore two chances to win the title. These are the German-speaking South Tyroleans, the Ladin minority, the Lusatian Sorbs, the Germans in Russia, the Occitans and the Romansh.

“We are very glad that we have succeeded in having not only a men’s tournament, but also a women’s tournament”, says Susann Schenk, Secretary-General of FUEN.

The men’s tournament will feature the finalists from 2012, namely the German-speaking South Tyroleans and the Roma from Hungary, and the organisers of 2008 and 2012, namely the Romansh and the Lusatian Sorbs. The Aromanians and the Germans in Denmark are back again after 2008. Further teams are the Ladins, the Danish minority in Germany, the Carinthian Slovenes, the North Frisians, the Karachay-Balkars, the Germans in Poland, the Slovaks in Hungary, the Turkish Minority of Western Thrace, the Germans in Russia, the Occitans, the Cimbrians in Italy, the selection of the minorities in Estonia and the Germans in Hungary. New are the Serbs in Croatia, Hungarians in Romania and Slovakia and the Manx from the United Kingdom.

The Welsh will participate in the official UEFA tournament in France in 2016 for the first time. We wish them much success and keep our fingers crossed.

24 Minorities from 16 European countries are reflecting the variety of minorities in Europe. From large regional languages and minorities with more than one million people, such as the Occitans and the Hungarians in Romania, down to the small German language island of the Cimbrians; from national minorities with, to minorities without a kin-state, such as the Ladins, Sorbs, Aromanians and North Frisians; from Roma – the largest group with more than 12 million people – to Turkic peoples in Russia and Ukraine.

“Looking at the current situation in Europe and in the world, we are glad that the minorities come in such a great number to South Tyrol. The EUROPEADA is much more than just a football tournament. It is the idea of showing how living together and tolerance can function. Based on a clear commitment to live peacefully together in all diversity, we will continue with our preparations of this major European event.”, says Martha Stocker, South Tyrolean Minister and Vice President of FUEN.

More information: www.europeada.eu

Contact FUEN: Susann Schenk, Secretary-General: +49 162 2775059

Requests:  info@europeada.eu