Experiencing sport like any other child their age
Throughout the day, participants experienced the excitement of a real football tournament: 14 teams divided into two groups, knockout stages, a podium ceremony and a trophy to be won.
Unlike a traditional competition, each team was made up of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and neurotypical children participating in the One Team programme, alongside U9 and U11 players from the Paris Saint-Germain Association.
In keeping with the educational principles underpinning the One Team programme, the tournament featured adapted rules, playing environments and coaching methods designed to meet the specific needs of children with ASD and ensure equal participation for all.
Among the adaptations implemented were the absence of goalkeepers, allowing every child to express themselves freely on the pitch, and additional points awarded for goals scored by children with ASD. Educational and motor-skills workshops were also available between matches. A dedicated quiet zone, equipped with sensory games and supervised by specialised educators, provided a space where children could rest or withdraw if needed.
In total, 20 specially trained staff members were mobilised throughout the day to support participants.
This tournament was a wonderful moment of sport and enjoyment for all the children. Seeing so many smiles is incredibly rewarding. That is the ambition of One Team: to enable children with ASD to enjoy a sporting experience just like other children their age, to make new friends and share collective experiences in an environment that is both caring and reassuring. Through the One Team programme, we see progress every week: children gain confidence, become more independent and find it easier to engage with others. They are extremely proud to wear the Paris Saint-Germain colours and to be part of a team.
Pictures of the tournament can be downloaded here :
One Team: a pioneering initiative for inclusion through pport
Autism is a major societal issue, affecting nearly one person in every hundred. Yet children with Autism Spectrum Disorder remain significantly underrepresented in organised sport, despite the fact that sport is a powerful tool for personal development, independence and social interaction.
To address this need, PSG for Communities, through its Endowment Fund, launched One Team in 2021. The sports and educational programme brings together children with ASD and neurotypical children aged 8 to 13 within the same football team. Participants attend weekly adapted training sessions led by coaches specifically trained in autism-related challenges.
Through an inclusive educational approach, children with ASD develop their motor skills, self-confidence and ability to interact with others. The programme also promotes mutual support, understanding and acceptance of differences among all participants.
Since its launch, One Team has benefited from the valuable support of expert partners specialising in autism and inclusion, including Maïa Autisme, Naked Heart France, Autisme Île-de-France, Autistes Sans Frontières, Autisme et Famille and Un Pas Vers la Vie Autisme, all of whom contribute to the programme’s development and visibility.
One Team has been awarded the Impact Social du Sport – Gold Level label by the Sport & Citizenship Think Tank, which praised the programme as a “structured tool for social inclusion that is scalable and transformative.”
A programme expanding internationally
Since its creation, One Team has supported 241 children with ASD and neurotypical children through programmes delivered in Clamart, Ivry-sur-Seine, Aubervilliers, Poissy, Lille and Doha.
Building on its success, the programme is now continuing its international expansion. Following its launch in Doha, a new programme has recently been announced in Casablanca, further reinforcing PSG for Communities’ ambition to establish One Team as a global benchmark for inclusion through sport.
About PSG For Communities
Founded in 2000, PSG For Communities aims to actively support underprivileged or ill children, young people, and communities in difficulty through impactful initiatives. Backed by the Paris Saint-Germain Foundation and Endowment Fund (created in 2013), PSG For Communities implements educational and sports programs in France and abroad, using sport and its values as tools for learning, growth, and solidarity.
Through its four flagship programs — Allez les Filles, L’École Rouge et Bleu, La Cantine Solidaire, and One Team — PSG For Communities leverages the pedagogical and psychological benefits of sport to support those in need. Last season alone, 450 projects were carried out, benefiting nearly 15,000 young people.