RITA ORA KICKS OFF UEFA’S #WEPLAYSTRONG
European football’s governing body, UEFA, has joined forces with the global singer/songwriter Rita Ora, in a bid to transform the image of women’s football and encourage participation among girls and young women.
UEFA will now be the official sponsor of her headline tour and, in turn, the international artist will support UEFA’s Together #WePlayStrong campaign.
‘The Girls Tour’, Rita Ora’s first European tour in five years, will see the artist perform in 13 cities across Europe.
On announcing the partnership with UEFA, Ora said: “The values of Together #WePlayStrong centre not only around football but female empowerment and equality too, so I was 100% behind this campaign when I was approached to partner with UEFA.
“It’s a privilege to be part of such an inspiring initiative, driving home messages of acceptance, individuality and finding a place to belong. My message to any young girl that’s thinking of picking up a ball is to just go for it! Being part of a team inspires confidence, builds friendships and can be liberating.”
Through the Together #WePlayStrong campaign UEFA aims to make football more culturally relevant and aspirational for girls in their teenage years, where they traditionally drop out in large numbers.
Peter Willems, head of marketing and sponsorship activities at UEFA said: "We’re excited to have Rita Ora on board with Together #WePlayStrong. We believe we’ve formed the perfect partnership that will help to grow the game across Europe for young girls.
“Our partnership will continue to evolve with dynamic surprises that will help connect UEFA to the world of young women through music, entertainment, fashion and sport."
This collaboration provides UEFA with an additional platform to promote its first ever pan-European campaign, Together #WePlayStrong, which is an integral part of its five-year strategic plan to make football the number one sport for girls and women in countries across Europe.
UEFA’s ambition for how the game can attract more girls to play involves raising the profile and image of the game, increasing visibility and engagement, driving participation at grassroots level and increasing investment.