Sofia - IOM’s team organized football tournaments for asylum seekers, accommodated in RRC Harmanli. The tournaments were organized during two days on a municipal football pitch in the city, observing all rules of the football game. On the first day, a children's tournament was held, with two teams from RRC Harmanli and two teams from the local school "Ivan Vazov". On the second day, three teams consisting of adults from the RRC entered the competition, as well as a fourth team comprising youth from the RRC, reinforced by IOM team members. Youngsters from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan, and other countries took part in the tournament. The teams played a round-robin style tournament of 20-minute games. After all games had been played, the team from Afghanistan had won the tournament.

At the end of each day, full of joy and emotions, the participants enjoyed some pizza, and the teams received one football each as a gift.

All activities are realized in the framework of project “Protection of Vulnerable Migrants and Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration Support” funded by the Emergency Measures under the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund 2014-2020 with the financial support of the European Union and the budget of the Republic of Bulgaria.