The Real Madrid Foundation promotes social reintegration through sports in penitentiary centers
More than 1,500 individuals deprived of liberty participated this season in the social sports football and basketball projects.
The Real Madrid Foundation continued during the 2025-26 season using sports as an educational tool to support the re-education and social reintegration processes of individuals deprived of liberty. Through 30 social sports projects developed in penitentiary centers across Spain, including the Alcalá-Meco women's prison, the program benefited 1,578 people.
Developed in collaboration with the General Secretariat of Penitentiary Institutions of the Ministry of the Interior and the Horizontes Abiertos Foundation, this project promotes healthy lifestyle habits and contributes to the development of essential personal and social skills for coexistence and the future integration of participants. Through weekly football and basketball training sessions based on the methodology For a REAL Education: Values and Sports, inmates work on values such as respect, responsibility, effort, equality, and teamwork.
Initiatives for coexistence
In addition to regular sports activities, the program incorporates various initiatives that foster coexistence, participation, and contact with positive role models. In football, the traditional inter-center tournament was held again, with the final taking place at the Madrid IV-Navalcarnero Penitentiary Center. Additionally, participants shared special sessions with the youth teams of Real Madrid. Real Madrid Castilla visited the Madrid II-Alcalá Meco Penitentiary Center, while Real Madrid C carried out a similar activity at the Madrid V-Soto del Real Penitentiary Center.
Sports as a space for equality
One of the most notable moments of the season took place on International Women's Day. The Madrid I Penitentiary Center hosted a joint basketball session where female inmates participated alongside a group of male inmates from the Madrid II Penitentiary Center. The activity aimed to promote the value of equality through cooperative dynamics and sports exercises in an environment of respect, coexistence, and equitable participation.
This work continues to be possible thanks to the collaboration of entities committed to inclusion and second chances, such as Grupo Ibérica and Fundación ACS.
Disclaimer: Translation generated by artificial intelligence. It may contain inaccuracies.