Come Together Cup in Cologne: Football connects diversity and community

Come Together Cup in Cologne: Football connects diversity and community

On June 10, 2025, the stadium grounds of the RheinEnergie Stadium in Cologne were once again the scene of a colorful festival of diversity and sport. At the 31st Come Together Cup (CTC), around 96 teams came together to not only compete for victory, but also to celebrate community and tolerance. In total, up to 30,000 visitors made the pilgrimage to this unique event, which has long since established itself as one of the largest one-day recreational football tournaments in Europe. The Evangelical Church of Cologne was there with his own team and joined the colorful crowd.

The idea of ​​community was clearly the focus, and Marco Beumers, as the sports and equal opportunities representative of the Evangelical Church Association of Cologne and the region, emphasized the value of accepting diversity. “It is important that we come together here again and live our need for community,” said Beumers. Despite the mixed weather conditions, which were cool and dry, the atmosphere was thoroughly warm and cheerful. The demanding group draw in particular could not dampen the positive spirits.

Diversity and respectful cooperation

The Come Together Cup was originally founded in 1995 by Andreas Stiene, a gay ex-criminal inspector and former soccer player. His aim was to bring together people of different origins, skin color, sexual orientation, religious beliefs and physical disabilities. Stiene has since become an indispensable part of this festival, which is intended to promote not only sporting competition, but also discussion and celebration. Those interested can find out more about the event on the official website: Come Together Cup.

Thanks to numerous hands-on activities on the “Boulevard of Diversity” and information stands, the day was an experience not only for the teams, but also for the spectators. The aim of the event is to promote tolerance, equality and respectful cooperation. “We are pleased that the Come Together Cup brings so many people together to play and celebrate together,” added Beumers and thanked everyone who helped and supported.

Sporting highlights and a hat trick

Last but not least, Marco Beumers himself caused excitement on the pitch, scoring a hat trick in the Celebrity Cup and thus causing cheers in the audience. This was reflected in the positive attitude of the EKV team, which always prioritized fun and fair cooperation despite the technically strong and young opponents.

The Come Together Cup has not only established itself as a sporting competition, but also supports local charitable and social institutions. “Sport is a wonderful way to build bridges,” emphasized Beumers and already took a look at the Evangelical Church Association’s next participation in the CTC. Further information can be found here.