Summary of Measures for Unaccompanied Migrant Children in the Canary Islands

Overview

Amidst rising numbers of unaccompanied children arriving in the Canary Islands since 2020, local authorities highlight the importance of sports for their social integration and personal development.

Challenges in Football Licensing

However, these minors face hurdles in obtaining official football licenses due to restrictive interpretations of international FIFA rules, which limit license issuance mainly to children meeting specific transfer conditions.

Community of Canary Islands' Initiatives

The Community of Canary Islands has stepped in, urging local football federations to:

issue territorial licenses to eligible minors,
enable participation in non-professional competitions.

The move aims to combat discrimination and promote equal access to sports, aligning with broader national and international laws that guarantee children’s rights to equality, protection, and participation regardless of nationality or migration status.

Policy Recommendations

The new resolution also calls on federations to:

review any previously rejected license requests from unaccompanied minors,
actively promote federated football among these vulnerable groups.

Broader Significance

These steps reflect a growing recognition that sport is a vital tool for social cohesion and an essential right for all children, including those in delicate migration situations.

This initiative underscores the legal and social commitment of Spanish and regional authorities to remove barriers for migrant children, emphasizing sport’s role in fostering inclusion, equality, and community integration.