This summer, football is worth following for more than just the World Cup. Important events are also taking place in Hungary’s community sports scene. The qualifying rounds of the Catching-up Settlements Programme’s (hereafter: FETE) national football championship have concluded, while, for the first time in the programme’s history, girls are preparing to compete in a separate category at the autumn final.
The fourth and final qualifying tournament of the FETE National Championship was held in Nyírbátor on 12 June, completing the line-up for the autumn final. This year’s competition attracted more interest than ever before, with a record 123 teams and around 1,200 young players entering across three age groups. They represented 86 catching-up settlements in 13 counties.
The results determined which teams will compete in the autumn final. Together with the final of the National Football Championship for Children’s Homes, more than 700 children are expected to take to the pitch.
One of this year’s major developments is that, for the first time in the history of the FETE football championship, girls will have the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a separate competition. As part of the preparations, the Girls on the Pitch 2026 sports and activity camp was held in Balatonlelle from 29 June to 2 July. Seventy young people from disadvantaged settlements trained together ahead of the autumn final.
The camp offered far more than football training. Alongside joint practice sessions, community activities, sports demonstrations and experiential learning programmes helped participants build confidence, form new friendships and return home with a strong sense of achievement.
The initiative is particularly important because football is often one of the most popular sporting opportunities in catching-up settlements, yet until now girls have not had a separate competition of their own within the championship.
The camp concluded with a friendly tournament. After a series of closely fought matches, Tiszanána took first place, Kömlő won the silver medal and Botpalád finished third.
The atmosphere of the camp and the personal stories of the participating girls were also captured in a video shared on the FeTe – Steps Towards Inclusion Facebook page.
The programme and its social impact have also received professional recognition. The 2025 FETE National Championship series won the Community Sports Event of the Year award from the Hungarian Sports Journalists’ Association.
For the past six years, the FETE National Championship has demonstrated that sport can build communities, create opportunities and support young talent. The programme is supported by the Sports component of the Presence in Catching-up Settlements Pillar project, implemented with funding from the European Union under the Human Resources Development Operational Programme Plus.
