All-Russian competition of grassroots football projects “Russia is a football country!” kicked off on December 10, World Football Day. The organizers of the initiatives of any football clubs will announce their project on the competition website by February 5, 2023. The prize fund for the winners and prize-winners of the third season will grow and amount to 6.75 million rubles.

“Russia is a football country!” – RFU competition to find and encourage initiatives aimed at the development of football in the regions. Any ongoing projects, regardless of the number of participants declared for the competition in one of eight categories:

– the best mass project in football;

– the best project for people with disabilities;

– the best project for women;

– the best amateur league;

– the best amateur club;

– the best professional club in the field of grassroots football development;

– the best football initiative;

is the best initiative of the fan movement.

Applications are accepted until February 5, 2023, after which all projects are sent for additional verification. From February 15 to March 12, a regional stage is held, which is needed by the best projects in all industries. From March 13 to March 30, the best projects go through an inter-regional selection, where participants of national events are present. National winners and runners up will be announced no later than May 1st.

Winners in each nomination receive 350 thousand rubles. Second place – 250 thousand, third – 200 thousand. The total prize fund for winners and prize-winners of the third age has increased by a quarter of the season compared to last year’s competition.

Application for participation in the third season of the competition “Russia is a football country!” can be sent to the platform https://strana.rfs.ru. There will also be published news and information about all projects, about meetings in the RFU due to the opening of the competition.

“The first initiative of the fan movement” was MegaFon. MegaFon is a longtime partner of the RFU, which supports various sports initiatives. For example, in the fall of 2021, MegaFon has a precedent charter for fans of the Russian national team in Split for the match against Croatia in the qualifying tournament for the 2022 World Cup.

Another winner of the competition will be chosen by popular vote, which will be single-handed with the support of the Mir payment system. The best project cash prize in the amount of 350 thousand rubles. Users of the ability to vote for their favorite project on the Sports.ru platform. Among all applications for the competition, the editors will select and present several bright football initiatives that will be excessive in subject matter and geography.

Alexander Dyukov President, RFU:


– The main task of the Russian Football Union is the development and popularization of football throughout our country. In all regions of Russia there are people who are indifferent to the game, many of whom are ready to propose and implement their own football projects. It is important for us that they have the opportunity to enlist the support of the RFU.

The Russia is a Country of Football! competition, the third season we are announcing today, is a chance to make a name for everyone who contributes to the growth of football in Russia. According to its results, the RFU gets the best results and gathers in the community of organizers of mass football projects in the country.

It is worth noting that this year a separate nomination has been established for major initiatives, which, due to public organizations, do not compete with large projects, but there is every chance of a special impetus for the development of football in their state.

We are glad that every year the competition becomes more and more interesting not only among the participants, but also among the sponsors and partners of the RFU. I would like to express my gratitude to the Mir payment system, with the support of which popular voting is used to determine the most unusual football project, and to MegaFon for supporting nominations to support initiatives among fans.

I invite everyone who dreams of realizing their ideas and initiatives to take part in the competition “Russia is a football country”! I wish you good luck and is achieved by its presence.

Competition “Russia is a football country!” compiled since 2020. Over the past two seasons, 1022 have taken part in the project.