Fútbol Más recieve 2026 Laureus Sport for Good Award
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Madrid, April 20, 2026 – Fútbol Más, a Laureus-supported programme operating in 11 countries across four continents, shared the stage with the greatest sportsmen and women in the world tonight as it was honoured with the Laureus Sport for Good Award.
Representatives from the programme joined superstars from across the world of sport as they received the Laureus, the greatest prize in sport, at the Laureus World Sports Awards at the Palacio de Cibeles in Madrid.
From humble beginnings in Chile in 2008, Fútbol Más has become an integral part of communities in 11 countries in South America, Europe and Africa, with the goal of promoting wellness and happiness for vulnerable children through its five core values: respect, joy, responsibility, creativity and teamwork.
Through its social sport workshops, young people are given the opportunity to play and enjoy the game they love alongside peers from various walks of life to develop skills, create friendships and enhance their understanding of how football can be an effective tool to bridge social divides. And, sometimes, they get to meet their heroes. New Laureus Ambassadors Jude Bellingham and Thiago Alcântara both visited the programme’s centres in Madrid recently.
Thiago Alcântara, Laureus Ambassador, said: "Visiting Fútbol Más in Madrid changed my perspective. I saw how football, when it’s understood properly, goes far beyond the game. It becomes a language to connect, to educate and to give kids a sense of belonging. What impressed me most is not just what they do, but how they do it; creating safe environments where children can express themselves, grow in confidence and feel part of something bigger. For me, this is the true power of football. Not just developing players, but developing people. Fútbol Más fully represents what Sport for Good should stand for, and they truly deserve this recognition.”
As well as impactful initiatives such as school outreach and liaison, and interventions which connect children in care with their environment, Fútbol Más is committed to helping communities rebuild in the wake of devastating natural disasters in places such as Chile, Ecuador and Mozambique, offering essential emotional support to children struggling to process trauma.
Guillermo Rolando, Fútbol Más Founder and Global CEO, said: “We are deeply honoured to receive the Laureus Sport for Good Award in recognition of the amazing work being done by everyone involved with Fútbol Más. Football is a universal language which speaks to everyone, regardless of age, race, creed or social standing, and Fútbol Más is proud to be spreading the word. Through sport and education, we have been able to enhance the lives of so many young people, their families and their communities in some of the world’s most deprived areas. More than a quarter of a century has passed since Nelson Mandela took to the stage at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards and asserted that sport has the power to change the world – and his words carry the same weight today. Fútbol Más shares that belief, and this Laureus will inspire us to continue on our mission to make a difference where it is needed most.”
Laureus Sport for Good was established in 2000 and has impacted the lives of more than seven million children and young people, using sport to end violence, discrimination and inequality for children, young people and their communities. It currently funds and supports more than 300 sports-based programmes in over 40 countries worldwide.
By ensuring each programme addresses at least one of six social issues – including Health and Wellbeing, Education, Gender Equity, Employability, Inclusion and Peacebuilding – Laureus Sport for Good supports organisations, charities and communities in their ambition to create a better, inclusive world for young people to be a part of.
The Laureus Sport for Good Award is presented each year to an organisation who, in the opinion of the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy – the world’s ultimate sporting jury – have made a significant contribution to transforming the lives of children and young people through sport.
Laureus Sport for Good Chairman Sean Fitzpatrick said: “It is a privilege to present this year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award to such a deserving organisation. Fútbol Más has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2008, and has become a vital part of the everyday lives of thousands of young people, allowing them to flourish and recognise that they have the potential to achieve their dreams and influence those around them. Innovation and promoting positive change is at the heart of what Laureus Sport for Good stands for, and Fútbol Más is a foundation which embodies this ethos in everything they do.”
Alongside this year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award recipient, five other Nominees were shortlisted for life-changing work in their own communities. These included MindLeaps, who employ a pioneering programme of academic tuition and dance classes to boost youth employability and critical cognitive skills; Transformación Social TRASO, a Mexican charity combining twice-weekly martial arts classes with group therapy sessions for children aged 5-12, and young adults aged 15-24; A.S.D. Gruppo Sportivo Valanga, a Turin-based charity seeking to improve the physical and mental well-being of participants through sport; Rugby for Good, who offer rugby classes for children with ADHD in Hong Kong, China; and King’s County Tennis League who, in their 15th year of operation, bring tennis to nearly 1,000 vulnerable young people in Brooklyn, New York.
From humble beginnings in Chile in 2008, Fútbol Más has become an integral part of communities in 11 countries in South America, Europe and Africa, with the goal of promoting wellness and happiness for vulnerable children through its five core values: respect, joy, responsibility, creativity and teamwork.
Through its social sport workshops, young people are given the opportunity to play and enjoy the game they love alongside peers from various walks of life to develop skills, create friendships and enhance their understanding of how football can be an effective tool to bridge social divides. And, sometimes, they get to meet their heroes. New Laureus Ambassadors Jude Bellingham and Thiago Alcântara both visited the programme’s centres in Madrid recently.
Thiago Alcântara, Laureus Ambassador, said: "Visiting Fútbol Más in Madrid changed my perspective. I saw how football, when it’s understood properly, goes far beyond the game. It becomes a language to connect, to educate and to give kids a sense of belonging. What impressed me most is not just what they do, but how they do it; creating safe environments where children can express themselves, grow in confidence and feel part of something bigger. For me, this is the true power of football. Not just developing players, but developing people. Fútbol Más fully represents what Sport for Good should stand for, and they truly deserve this recognition.”
As well as impactful initiatives such as school outreach and liaison, and interventions which connect children in care with their environment, Fútbol Más is committed to helping communities rebuild in the wake of devastating natural disasters in places such as Chile, Ecuador and Mozambique, offering essential emotional support to children struggling to process trauma.
Guillermo Rolando, Fútbol Más Founder and Global CEO, said: “We are deeply honoured to receive the Laureus Sport for Good Award in recognition of the amazing work being done by everyone involved with Fútbol Más. Football is a universal language which speaks to everyone, regardless of age, race, creed or social standing, and Fútbol Más is proud to be spreading the word. Through sport and education, we have been able to enhance the lives of so many young people, their families and their communities in some of the world’s most deprived areas. More than a quarter of a century has passed since Nelson Mandela took to the stage at the inaugural Laureus World Sports Awards and asserted that sport has the power to change the world – and his words carry the same weight today. Fútbol Más shares that belief, and this Laureus will inspire us to continue on our mission to make a difference where it is needed most.”
Laureus Sport for Good was established in 2000 and has impacted the lives of more than seven million children and young people, using sport to end violence, discrimination and inequality for children, young people and their communities. It currently funds and supports more than 300 sports-based programmes in over 40 countries worldwide.
By ensuring each programme addresses at least one of six social issues – including Health and Wellbeing, Education, Gender Equity, Employability, Inclusion and Peacebuilding – Laureus Sport for Good supports organisations, charities and communities in their ambition to create a better, inclusive world for young people to be a part of.
The Laureus Sport for Good Award is presented each year to an organisation who, in the opinion of the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy – the world’s ultimate sporting jury – have made a significant contribution to transforming the lives of children and young people through sport.
Laureus Sport for Good Chairman Sean Fitzpatrick said: “It is a privilege to present this year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award to such a deserving organisation. Fútbol Más has gone from strength to strength since its inception in 2008, and has become a vital part of the everyday lives of thousands of young people, allowing them to flourish and recognise that they have the potential to achieve their dreams and influence those around them. Innovation and promoting positive change is at the heart of what Laureus Sport for Good stands for, and Fútbol Más is a foundation which embodies this ethos in everything they do.”
Alongside this year’s Laureus Sport for Good Award recipient, five other Nominees were shortlisted for life-changing work in their own communities. These included MindLeaps, who employ a pioneering programme of academic tuition and dance classes to boost youth employability and critical cognitive skills; Transformación Social TRASO, a Mexican charity combining twice-weekly martial arts classes with group therapy sessions for children aged 5-12, and young adults aged 15-24; A.S.D. Gruppo Sportivo Valanga, a Turin-based charity seeking to improve the physical and mental well-being of participants through sport; Rugby for Good, who offer rugby classes for children with ADHD in Hong Kong, China; and King’s County Tennis League who, in their 15th year of operation, bring tennis to nearly 1,000 vulnerable young people in Brooklyn, New York.
