International update: KNVB is active all over the world

Quinten Timber attended a WorldCoaches training session for disadvantaged children from Kansas City. - Foto: KNVB Media

KNVB is active in many parts of the world, sharing knowledge, strengthening partnerships and harnessing the power of football for social good. In recent months, the 2026 World Cup has provided an important platform for this. At the same time, the activities of KNVB WorldCoaches and the International Academy have continued worldwide.

2026 World Cup: More Than Football

For KNVB, the World Cup in Canada, the United States, and Mexico was not just about the performance of the Dutch national team. The tournament also offered ample opportunities to maintain and strengthen international relations.

During the World Cup, there were various meetings with representatives from the international football world, politics, and government. For instance, we held discussions with, among others, the US Ambassador, representatives from Kansas City, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and a representative of the Japanese Imperial House.

Furthermore, in Vancouver, KNVB and the Ukrainian Football Association signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This further strengthened the cooperation between the two associations. With a firm handshake, association presidents Frank Paauw and Andrii Shevchenko ratified the long-standing friendship between Dutch and Ukrainian football.

WORLDCOACHES BUILDS WORLD CUP LEGACY

KNVB wanted to leave a lasting legacy in the three host countries in terms of society, as a thank you for the warm and heartfelt welcome. With KNVB WorldCoaches, that ambition took concrete form.

Canada

In the run-up to the World Cup, KNVB WorldCoaches organized a course in Vancouver for members of the Tsleil-Waututh and Squamish First Nations communities. KNVB President Frank Paauw and Director of Professional Football Marianne van Leeuwen attended the program. The participants were trained to use football for the development of children and their communities. In this way, the program contributes to inclusion, connection, and social development, even long after the World Cup has ended.

USA

Investment in sustainable social impact was also made in Kansas City. Together with Kansas City Current, Nike, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, KNVB trained 24 local coaches to combine football with the development of life skills.

For the festive closing event, 45 children from underprivileged areas of the city were invited. They received a special surprise. Dutch internationals Tijjani Reijnders, Marten de Roon, Quinten Timber, and Lutsharel Geertruida stopped by to meet the coaches and participating children. With autographs, selfies, and handshakes, they not only provided inspiration and enthusiasm. The twinkle in the children's eyes showed that they were passing on a dream to them to bring out the best in themselves.

The course built upon the community programs of Kansas City Current, which is committed to supporting diverse target groups in the Kansas region through locally focused activities. The World Cup caravan has since departed, but the new WorldCoaches ensure that all children in Kansas City can continue to develop.

Mexico

Even after the World Cup, KNVB continues to build on that legacy. In Nuevo León, the region where the Dutch national team plays during the World Cup, where ‘NL’ literally returns and the lion is an important symbol, KNVB is organizing a WorldCoaches course for local community coaches. They ensure that the knowledge is anchored in the community. In this way, the children are given a lasting opportunity to develop social skills such as respect, responsibility, and teamwork through football. This ensures that the societal impact of the tournament continues even after the final whistle.

WorldCoaches also connects in the Netherlands

WorldCoaches’ activities were not limited to the World Cup countries. In Zeist, KNVB, together with the COA and SV Saestum, organized a course for residents of COA locations in Zeist and Utrecht. They were trained to become football coaches and role models. According to Association President Frank Paauw, the course aligns seamlessly with the societal role KNVB aims to fulfill. "As KNVB, we have been at home here for over 60 years, and we want to invest not only in football but also in the society around us. By training people to become coaches and role models, we give them perspective and strengthen the connection with the local community here in Zeist."

The course concluded with a joint tournament for children from the asylum seekers' center and youth players from SV Saestum. WorldCoaches ambassador and former Dutch international Anouk Hoogendijk returned to her old club for the occasion. "I thought it was wonderful to see how much fun, connection, and self-confidence there was among the participants. And that despite significant language barriers. I am incredibly proud of the new WorldCoaches."

The program offers participants the opportunity to actively contribute to their environment, for example as a volunteer at a football club, while simultaneously strengthening the connection with the local community.

Watching the Dutch national team together around the world

During the World Cup match between the Netherlands and Sweden, WorldCoaches brought various communities together. Children, coaches, and local residents in countries including Jordan, Indonesia, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Netherlands gathered for special WorldCoaches watch parties. Before the match, there were football activities, and afterwards, conversations revolved around themes such as teamwork, making choices, and dealing with winning and losing. In this way, the World Cup was also used thousands of kilometers away from the stadiums to connect people through football.

SHARING DUTCH FOOTBALL KNOWLEDGE

In addition to the social programs, KNVB International Academy remained active in sharing Dutch football knowledge.

Ghana

At the invitation of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), KNVB instructor Hesterine de Reus traveled to Ghana to deliver the third module of the CAF A ​​License training course.

It was the first time in years that the GFA organized this course and a fine example of the cooperation between the two football associations in the technical field of football. The training by the GFA has now been officially completed.

Indonesia

The collaboration with the Indonesian Football Association PSSI also continued. KNVB instructors André Simmelink and Piet de Jong provided coaching courses in Papua and Jakarta.

In total, 40 local coaches participated in the training, and over 125 young players were involved in the various practical sessions. The activities are part of the four-year cooperation agreement signed by KNVB and PSSI in 2024 and were made possible in part by the UEFA Together project.

The collaboration aims not only to share knowledge on an occasional basis, but to invest sustainably in the development of football in Indonesia together with the PSSI.

Learning from other sports

International cooperation means not only sharing knowledge, but also acquiring knowledge. KNVB was therefore a guest at Hockey Vlaanderen during a conference on the power of major sporting events. Drawing on its own experience organizing international final tournaments, KNVB shared, among other things, the importance of strong relationships with fellow federations and good, sustainable cooperation with government bodies.

At the same time, the congress offered the opportunity to exchange experiences with other sports federations and gain new insights.

FOOTBALL AS AN INTERNATIONAL CONNECTING FORCE

From Canada, the United States, and Mexico to Ghana and Indonesia: the various activities share one clear common denominator. KNVB shares knowledge, brings people and organizations together, and uses the power of football to achieve lasting impact.