Young Players and Young Journalists are the participants of the programme. They are girls and boys aged 12, including children with disabilities. Young Players are united into mixed teams, where they represent different cultures and countries, and learn to play on the same team. Young Journalists cover the events of the programme in the International Children’s Press Center.
The programme consists of several global events — the Open Draw, the International Football for Friendship Forum, the International Day of Football and Friendship, the Football for Friendship World Championship, the International Friendship Camp, the Nine Values School, as well as numerous local sports and public events in participating countries.
Over the seven seasons, more than 6 000 children from 211 countries participated in Football for Friendship, more than 5 million people took part in sports, educational, and environmental activities of the programme around the world.