Adidas today unveiled the official match ball for the 2021-22 Champions League final in Paris on May 28.
One of the largest stage in the physical world as an opportunity to let the whole world together in a global message of PEACE, the only football in Cyrillic and English letters on the "м и р | PEACE", stands for PEACE. The ball will not be sold but will be auctioned after the final, with the proceeds going to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which helps protect people displaced by conflict and persecution.
The ball is designed to convey a simple message of peace, belonging and hope, and with every touch of the ball, these messages will travel from player to player, even beyond the Stade de France, to every corner of the world. The design of the whole sphere has no bright colors, but is presented in silver and white, a symbol of truce and unity.
The impact of this moment goes far beyond the game inside the Stade de France, as Adidas is harnessing the power of the world's biggest club competition to bring a special Champions League experience to the streets and people of Paris.
On May 27, the day before the Champions League final, Adidas will host Grand Paris 2022, a special event offering a one-of-a-kind experience. The event will take place at the Zinedine Zidane Playground in Saint-Denis, a unique Champions League-configured pitch built locally by Adidas. Here, eight local teams from the greater Paris region will compete in an elite grassroots soccer tournament, with each team representing a city community.
This will kick off a traditional project designed to support the city's grassroots football community, providing a home and a playing ground, increasing the profile and participation of the game at all levels. As well as renovating the Zidane stadium, Adidas also announced its support for the Saint-Denis Sport Academy and its founder Yssa Dembele, to whom it will hand over the venue following the refurbishment as part of a grassroots support programme.
Gonzalo Calvo, global Director of Brand Communications, Community and culture at Adidas, said: "Throughout its history, the love of the game has brought people together from all over the world through one simple object - football. We are more motivated than ever to support the extraordinary players and clubs who are working hard to lift the platform and change the sport and the world for the better - especially at the grassroots level."
"Adidas' rebuilt Zidane Stadium will transform hundreds of local children, grassroots players and teams," said Isa Dembele, founder of the St Denis Sports Academy. Having a space like this means more to the locals than just a playing area. It provides a safe and welcoming place for people to really feel part of their community."
