• Foreign Minister Heiko Maas and initiator of the German Football Ambassador Roland Bischof will welcome 200 guests from politics, sport and business.

• The “German Football Ambassador Family” is growing and gaining international recognition.

• Honoring German football personalities for their sporting and social commitment abroad.

200 guests from politics, sport and business will come to this year’s award ceremony of the Association of German Football Ambassador, which will take place again at the Federal Foreign Office on 8 May 2018. Particularly remarkable: Numerous former winners and nominees as well as the current nominees for the 2018 Main Prize – Ernst Middendorp (Thailand), Gert Engels (Japan) and Theo Brücker (Lebanon) – have travelled especially from abroad. The “special delegation” will be led by former football ambassadors Monika Staab (2014) and Gernot Rohr (2016), who will be there despite his national team from Nigeria preparing for the World Cup, when German coaches and players are honoured for their sporting and social commitment during their missions abroad.

A growing fan base

Roland Bischof, founder of the Association of German Football Ambassador, commented: “I am delighted that the Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, will also be present this year. This is the fifth time in a row after Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sigmar Gabriel. This is a great acknowledgement of our commitment and certainly not a matter of course (certainly it cannot be taken for granted)”.

Football can do so much more

The competence-enhancing team sport, football, gives disadvantaged children a sense of togetherness, self-confidence and perspective. Thanks to the great support of numerous partners, the German Football Ambassador has been able to support over 20 sustainable funding projects around the globe.

Commitment of footballers must be honoured

The Sixth award ceremony, five of which have taken place at the Federal Foreign Office, is the annual highlight of the association’s year-round commitment. Who will win in 2018? The jury of experts will select the winner of the “Trainer” category, the audience of the “Player” category and once again this year an honorary prize will be awarded to a football personality for his/her exceptional commitment.