The event unfolded in two key moments. First, an inclusive village welcomed nearly 1,000 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypical children, offering them the opportunity to take part in various sports activities. The event was attended by Warren Zaïre-Emery and Sakina Karchaoui (PSG football), patrons of PSG for Communities, as well as Océane Toussaint and Anaïs Ebayilin (PSG football), Jacob Holm and Emil Mellegard (PSG Handball), and Marie-Ève Gahié and Walide Khyar (PSG Judo).
The second highlight was a conference bringing together experts, institutional stakeholders and partners to discuss the insights from One Team, an innovative program led by PSG for Communities that brings together children with ASD and neurotypical children within the same football team.
Part of the “Bougez pour l'autisme ” initiative led by the Interministerial Delegation for Autism, this event combined hands-on experience with collective reflection to strengthen mobilization around inclusion through sport.
Parc des Princes transformed into an inclusive sports village
Within the Parc des Princes, the afternoon of April 1 opened with a musical interlude led by Lang Lang Foundation, before giving way to a wide range of inclusive sports, recreational and educational activities — football, judo, handball, archery, taekwondo, basketball, motor skills workshops, cooperative games — set up pitchside and throughout the concourses of the Parisian venue.
Nearly 1,000 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurotypical children were able to take part in these activities together, without distinction, accompanied by their
Supervised by PSG for Communities coaches and volunteers from Paris Saint-Germain and partner organizations, they enjoyed an unforgettable experience. They had the opportunity to discover judo with Walide Khyar and Marie-Ève Gahié (PSG Judo), play handball with Jacob Holm and Emil Mellegard (PSG Handball), and enjoy football with Océane Toussaint and Anaïs Ebayilin (PSG football). Sakina Karchaoui and Warren Zaïre-Emery (football), patron and patroness of PSG for Communities, were also present to share these moments and engage with the children.
There is an incredible energy today! Seeing the children so happy is a real joy. Sport has this unique power to bring people together, regardless of their differences. As a patron of PSG for Communities, I am very proud to contribute to these moments and to be committed to inclusion through sport.
I am deeply moved to see all these children sharing the field together with so much joy. Every child should have access to sport, regardless of their situation. Today, many children with autism do not have the opportunity to take part in sports activities. With One Team, we are trying to show that it is possible and to drive real, concrete change.
The following stakeholders partnered in this initiative : Lang Lang Foundation ; Naked Heart France; Maia Autisme; Autisme Île-de-France; Autisme Sans Frontières; CUP Solidarité; Logan Freestyle; Club de Taekwondo Clamart; École de danse Angoulême; Diane Séré and her dancers.
One Team, a pioneering initiative by Paris Saint-Germain for inclusion through sport
Autism is a major societal issue, affecting 1 in 100 people today. Yet young people with ASD are still too often excluded from sports participation, even though sport is a powerful tool to foster social interaction, build confidence and promote autonomy.
To address this need, PSG for Communities has developed One Team, a sports and educational program that brings together, on the same football pitch, a team made up of children with ASD and neurotypical children aged 8 to 13, supervised by coaches specifically trained on these issues.
The benefits of this shared activity are numerous for both groups of children: improved physical and mental health, and the development of mutual support, understanding and acceptance of differences.
More than 600 children have been supported since the launch of One Team in 2021.
A conference highlighting the learnings from One Team
To close the inclusive village, PSG for Communities organized a conference aimed at sharing insights from the One Team program, encouraging the exchange of best practices among stakeholders engaged in the field of autism, and fostering the large-scale deployment of such initiatives.
Fabien Allègre, Vice President Paris Saint-Germain Dotation Funds, and Natalia Vodianova, President of Naked Heart, opened the session.
Throughout the afternoon here at Parc des Princes, we saw children who were genuinely happy to be active together. Their smiles are a testament to the power of sport to inspire us, help us grow and bring us together beyond our differences. With One Team, PSG for Communities is committed to ensuring that the next generation shares values of inclusion and openness, and that all young people, whatever their specific needs, can access the joy of playing sport.
When we talk about inclusion, we are talking about parents looking for solutions. About children who want to play, learn, be active, share joyful moments and make friends. About professionals who want to be trained in the most effective methods. What makes me particularly proud today is this collective work we are building in support of families. When a major player in sport like Paris Saint-Germain commits alongside us, it gives this ambition exceptional resonance and reach. Together, we are opening a concrete and hopeful path towards a more inclusive society.
Discussions focused on the methodology of the One Team program, the ecosystem of stakeholders involved in its design and deployment, as well as its impact on young beneficiaries.
The positive outcomes of One Team are based on an educational approach designed with autism experts and local stakeholders (clubs, institutes and specialized centers, and organizations such as Naked Heart and Maïa Autisme). Its implementation relies on a multidisciplinary team including a pediatrician, a psychologist and a dedicated special education professional.
In 2024, Sport et Citoyenneté awarded One Team the Impact Social du Sport label (gold level), recognizing its quality as “a structuring tool for social inclusion, replicable and transformative.” The social impact assessment highlighted that One Team fulfills its mission of inclusion through sport while also contributing to improving families’ quality of life.
A new One Team program launched in Casablanca
The ambition of One Team is to deploy a replicable and sustainable model of inclusion, both in France and internationally.
Initially created in Île-de-France (Clamart, Ivry-sur-Seine, Aubervilliers, Poissy), the program continues to expand: following launches in Lille and Doha, a new opening has been announced in Casablanca, scheduled for September 2026, in partnership with the association Tibu Africa. A basketball adaptation of the concept is also currently being considered in Washington and Doha.
Bringing perspectives together on inclusion through sport
The roundtable continued with a discussion on the theme “Moving for Autism: what frameworks for action?”, featuring contributions from Lydie Cohen, Doctor of Law and lawyer, Étienne Pot, Interministerial Delegate for the national strategy on neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD), Alexis Saillard, consultant in the Sport Division at UNESCO, and Axel Parisot, Para swimming champion.
Speakers highlighted the central role of sport as a driver of inclusion for people with autism. They emphasized the need to strengthen cooperation between public authorities, non-profit organizations and sports stakeholders, and to fully integrate physical activity into support pathways, in line with national and international guidelines. Finally, they stressed the key role of grassroots initiatives and the inspiring journeys of athletes in changing perceptions of disability.