TALENT Project Partners Gather in Riga to Drive Disability Football Development Forward

TALENT Project Partners Gather in Riga to Drive Disability Football Development Forward

Para Football joined partners from across Europe in Riga, Latvia this week for the first Transnational Project Meeting of the TALENT project – a major Erasmus+ Sport Cooperation Partnership focused on breaking barriers in football for people with disabilities.

The two-day meeting, held on 16–17 June at the Rimi Olympic Center in Riga, brought together representatives from all eight partner organisations to review progress, align on next steps, and lay the foundations for the project's key deliverables. The meeting marks a significant milestone in the 36-month project, which launched with its kick-off in Ljubljana earlier this year.

Consolidating Good Practice

A central focus of the meeting was the consolidation of good practices in disability football from across Europe and beyond. Partners presented and reviewed examples gathered from their national contexts, drawing on real-world models of inclusion, talent development, and coach education. This collective bank of good practice will form the evidence base for the training frameworks and resources the TALENT project will develop over the coming months.

Para Football's contribution – drawn from its global network – brought an international dimension to the discussion, including examples spanning West Asia, the Americas, and across Europe.

Building the Project's Digital Home

Significant progress was made on the development of the dedicated TALENT project website at talent-football.eu, which will serve as the primary platform for sharing project outputs, resources, and news with the wider disability football community. Partners reviewed the site's structure and content strategy, ensuring it will be accessible and useful to coaches, federations, and practitioners across Europe from the moment resources are published.

Planning Partner Activity Implementation

With the project now past its initial phase, the meeting provided a structured opportunity to align on how each partner will implement activities with players on the ground. Partners agreed timelines, responsibilities, and coordination mechanisms for the groups and teams that will be involved, ensuring a consistent and high-quality experience for players with disabilities across all eight partner organisations.

Finalising the Project Video

The meeting also saw partners work towards finalising the TALENT project's introductory video – a key communication tool that will introduce the project's vision, partners, and goals to stakeholders, funders, and the wider public. Feedback from all partners was gathered to ensure the video reflects the breadth and ambition of the partnership.

Communication and Dissemination Planning

A dedicated session focused on the creation of a comprehensive communication and dissemination plan. Para Football played a central role in shaping the strategy, which will guide how the project reaches its target audiences – from national football associations and disability sport organisations to coaches, players, and policymakers. Social media, newsletters, events, and stakeholder networks will all play a role in maximising the project's reach and impact.

Partners will next reconnect online to continue driving the project forward, with plans for the Train the Trainer programme to be delivered early in the new year.

The TALENT project – sTimulating Awareness on disabiLity and coopEratioN via fooTball – is a three-year Erasmus+ Sport Cooperation Partnership coordinated by the Football Association of Slovenia (NZS), with partners including the Football Association of Latvia, the Football Association of Lithuania and Lithuanian Grassroots Football Association, the Football Association of Serbia (FSS), the Football Federation of Romania (FRF), the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE), ForModena, and Para Football.

For more information about the TALENT project, visit talent-football.eu.