Dream Euro Cup 2024

The Dream Euro Cup 2024, which takes place in Rome from 23 to 28 September as part of the European Week for Sport, is a non-profit event for the promotion and protection of mental health.

The sporting event is aimed at people with even serious mental disorders, often victims of social discrimination, who have played or play football and are, in most cases, under the care of public and private mental health services.

There are 12 teams participating in the Dream Euro Cup 2024 - which takes place at the Palazzetto dello Sport - and Italy is represented by the Crazy for Football National team, holders of the world title won in 2018. The other countries competing are Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Greece, England, Iceland, Norway, Holland, the Czech Republic and Hungary.

The idea of ​​the European event was born in Italy, from the front line experience of the psychiatrist Santo Rullo, who founded the Italian National five-a-side football team for people with mental health problems Crazy for Football, to promote inclusion and raising awareness regarding these issues.

The experience of the Crazy for Football national team has so far had a more than positive outcome, directly involving not only hundreds of psychiatric patients and sports and mental health workers, but also hundreds of schools of all levels, in Italy and throughout Europe: many students and teachers, in fact, had the opportunity to get to know the protagonists of this "adventure" up close, attending sporting events or hosting this event within the walls of their schools or universities. This year they will be part of the public at the September event thanks to the collaboration with the Lazio Regional School Office.

Finally, we would like to remind you that on 28 September, in conjunction with the final of the tournament, the international scientific workshop Psychiatric Rehabilitation Through Sport: Strategies, tools and good practices, aimed at mental health and sports operators, will also take place in the CONI Board Room.

The Dream Euro Cup is organized by the non-profit association ECOS (European Culture Sport and Organization) and financed by the European Commission as part of the ERASMUS+SPORT programme, with the support of Roma Capitale, and the patronage of FIGC, CONI CIP, Sport and Health, Lazio Region, Rai for Sustainability-ESG and the Embassies in Italy of the participating countries.

Photo credits: Official site of the Municipality of Rome