UNICEF names Lamine Yamal as a Goodwill Ambassador

World-renowned football star champions children’s right to play as new UNICEF report reveals 90 million children globally have no toys or playthings at home

NEW YORK, 11 June 2026 – 18-year-old Barcelona and Spain football star Lamine Yamal has been announced as UNICEF’s newest Goodwill Ambassador, championing every child’s right to play.

The appointment was made on International Day of Play, marked annually on 11 June to recognise play as essential to children’s cognitive, social, and physical development – and on the opening day of the FIFA World Cup, where Lamine will represent his national team, Spain.

“I am incredibly proud to become a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador,” said Lamine. “Growing up, all I had was a family, a ball, a park, and a dream. Playing football gave me structure, a sense of belonging, and hope for the future. I know how important it is for children to have a safe place to play, so that they can simply enjoy being children, discovering the world, imagining, and growing. Yet millions of children around the world are growing up without safe spaces to play. When children are denied the chance to play, they miss out on opportunities to build skills, make friends, and imagine a brighter future.”

In his role as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Lamine will focus on children’s right to play and supporting children living in humanitarian emergencies, such as conflict or natural disasters. With over 87 million combined followers and a young fanbase across not just Europe but globally, Lamine Yamal brings the ability to reach and inspire audiences and build on his previous commitment to children’s rights.

On World Children’s Day in 2024, for example, he wrote a heartfelt letter to his younger brother sharing his hopes for children everywhere. Last year, he handed his social media accounts to 9-year-old Ahinora from Equatorial Guinea – Lamine’s mother’s home country – letting her show the world how she experiences her rights day to day, and reflected with his parents on their own childhood games in a short video, underscoring how play connects generations.

“From the playing field to the world stage, Lamine Yamal brings his passion and voice to UNICEF’s mission for children,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “We are delighted to welcome him as a Goodwill Ambassador to champion every child’s right to play and right to a safe childhood. In a world where too many children face conflict and poverty, Lamine’s commitment is a powerful reminder that every child deserves the chance to play, grow and thrive,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell.

Lamine’s appointment comes as UNICEF releases updated data on play, revealing that more than 90 million children under the age of 5 – or 1 in 7 globally – do not have any playthings such as store-bought toys, household objects, or other simple resources for play at home, while 80 million children aged 2 to 4 – around 1 in 5 – do not play with a parent or caregiver at home.

The Power of Play: A global data story is the most comprehensive global analysis to date of children’s access to play at home, drawing on data from almost 100 countries over 15 years up to 2024. It finds no significant overall change over the last decade in the share of children who play with caregivers, with only slight improvement in children’s access to a sufficient variety of playthings over this period, including in Latin America and the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa

Findings show that, of the children missing out on a caregiver’s play at home, three-quarters live in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. These two regions also account for roughly two-thirds of all children growing up without playthings. Children in low-income countries are 25 per cent less likely to play with a caregiver than those in high-income countries, and fewer than half have an adequate variety of playthings compared with nearly all children in wealthier nations. Within countries, the gaps fall hardest on the poorest households, rural families, and children whose mothers have no formal education.

Meanwhile, children across every region and income level are nearly half as likely to play with their fathers as with their mothers or other caregivers – a divide compounded by parenting programmes that remain directed at mothers alone, leaving fathers largely unaddressed.

Research shows that play is fundamental to how children learn, build relationships, and grow, especially when shared with a caregiver or friend. Yet poverty, conflict, and lack of support deny millions of children play and the safe spaces they need – free from violence and exploitation – to explore and imagine. These barriers leave lasting effects on confidence, communication, and social skills that can carry into adulthood.

UNICEF is calling on governments, businesses, and other stakeholders to:

• Scale up services, including parenting programmes, that promote play and attachment.
• Enable access to pre-school and learning through play for every 3- to 6-year-old.
• Ensure every child has access to safe, inclusive, and well-maintained play areas.

“Our new report shows how factors such as conflict and poverty can make it harder for parents and caregivers to give young children the support they need to grow and thrive,” said Russell. “Investing in social protection and early childhood services can give families the time and resources they need to ensure that children get a good start in life,” added Russell.

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Notes to editors

Today, roughly half of all countries collect internationally comparable data on children’s play with caregivers at home – up from just 10 countries two decades ago, when standardized global measurement began. That growth reflects a broadening recognition that what children need to thrive goes well beyond survival.

Read the data report here.

Download multimedia content here and here.

Find out more about International Day of Play.

Find out more about UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassadors.