NEWS

Ülker not only bolsters development of sports and sports industry significantly by providing support to soccer at professional level and at the non-professional level, but it also invests in children who are the future of Turkish soccer. Ülker has become the local sponsor of the FIFA U20 World Cup. This will be the first time the event is going to be held in Türkiye with cooperation from FIFA and TFF. Prior to the June event, Ülker put together the Grassroots Festival with the mini World Cup concept in the seven cities where the actual World Cup would take place in April and May. The closing event was also carried out by Ülker in Istanbul.

There were 500 children exhibiting their talents in the event with participation from Ali Ülker, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yıldız Holding, Servet Yardımcı, Second Vice Chairman of the TFF and the President of the Local Organizing Committee, Okan Buruk, Assistant National Team Coach,  Tugay Kerimoğlu , U20 National Team Coordinator, Emre Aşık, U20 National Team Coach and Prof. Dr. Güven Erdil, Director of Development for Soccer  as well as U20 National Team players Alperen Uysal, Sadık Çiftpınar and Hasan Türk. 

Ali Ülker, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Yıldız Holding:  "As a brand that has been supporting sports in Türkiye for many years, we believe Türkiye needs to transform into a more athletic country and more people should have access to sports. To serve this purpose, we strive to ensure that the domestic projects we carry out with collaboration from the soccer and basketball federations help improve our country's reputation and the sports spread out to all corners of the country. We are of the opinion that holding international events in Türkiye will help promote our country immensely. With this belief, we first sponsored the 2010 FIBA World Championship and now, we are delighted to be sponsoring the FIFA U20 World Cup.  Accordingly, we are making a great effort for Istanbul to host the 2020 Olympics."

Servet Yardımcı, Second Vice Chairman of the TFF and the President of the Local Organizing Committee: "Hundreds of thousands of children gathered to play soccer in the Grassroots activities organized in a collaboration between TFF and Ülker.  Now, we are delighted and proud to have combined such an event with the FIFA U20 World Cup, which is set to be the biggest soccer event in our history. Our children are the future of Turkish soccer. This conviction drives Ülker to invest in our children through the FIFA U20 World Cup Grassroots activities. I would like to extend my thanks to Ülker for the support they provide to soccer and this championship."

Okan Buruk, TFF Assistant National Team Coach: " One of the primary objectives of the Grassroots project is to raise children with an appreciation of sports. Education aimed at personal development in children is just as crucial as soccer training. The project ensures that children learn about fair play at early ages and receive on and off the field training which they can utilize for the rest of their lives, as well as socializing and an introduction to an active lifestyle. Children who can take advantage of this opportunity can turn into accomplished names such as Alperen Uysal, Sadık Çiftpınar, Hasan Türk and Salih Uçan who represent our country with success by taking their places in the U20 National Team."

TFF has reached out to over 250,000 children from 2007 up until now, thanks to the projects it has carried out with collaboration with Ülker within the scope of the "Soccer for Children" program. After completing the program, children take firm steps toward a successful future and get transferred to Junior National and club teams.  Some of these players performed well enough to represent our country in big events, such as the European Championship and the Junior Olympics, while some made to the First Team in their clubs.