https://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/ada-hegerberg-leads-unfair-football...
This match, however, had a striking difference from usual – one team began the game with more players and a clear advantage. Ada soon eased the crowd’s concerns and halted the unfair game. This one-sided game, she explained, symbolised the unfair start some children receive in life due to their unequal access to vaccines. Under Ada’s instruction, the players then left the pitch ready to restart. When returning to the pitch, the players did so together – horizontally – to signify a fair starting line and the equal opportunities that children will receive if provided with equal access to vaccines.
The Starting Line Ambassadorand Norway International Footballer, Ada Hegerberg, said: "Equality and fairness are essential to sports, and it should be the same in life. Vaccines have already done so much to save lives, but access is still uneven around the world. All children should, regardless of their circumstances, be able to get the vaccines they need to protect themselves from diseases. And every single one of them deserves a spot on The Starting Line of life."
The Starting Line is a summer-long campaign by Gavi and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to raise awareness about unequal access to vaccines around the world following the launch of Gavi’s Investment Opportunity 2026–2030. Today, over 20 million children are missing out on life-saving vaccines, with many countries still lacking consistent access to affordable immunisations. The campaign calls on global decision-makers to help protect more children worldwide against more diseases faster than ever before.
Björn Gillsäter, Gavi’s Managing Director of Global Donor Relations, Advocacy and Fundraising, said: “The Norway Cup, with its passionate support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, exemplifies the critical role that Norway plays in creating a healthier world for all. This event is the perfect platform to host The Starting Line campaign. To protect children everywhere from preventable diseases, it is crucial that our partners, including Norway, sustain the support of equal access to vaccines to ensure no child is left behind.”
Since its launch in 2000, Gavi has enhanced access to vaccines, helping to protect over 1 billion children in lower-income countries from devastating infectious diseases and contributing to a remarkable 70% reduction in vaccine-preventable child deaths in these countries. As one of its original donors, Norway has played a vital role in supporting Gavi in this mission. From 2026–2030, Gavi has the opportunity to protect a further 500 million children and save over 8 million lives.
The Starting Line campaign is running across Europe and will also feature a series of international sporting champions, including Ada Hegerberg, Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah, former French footballer Robert Pires, Olympic gold medallist and former swimmer Laure Manaudou, and breakdancer Junior Bosila Banya. Their My Starting Line videos are available on their social media channels and in this toolkit. In Norway, the campaign is further supported by Double Olympian Henrik Ingebrigtsen and influencer Amalie Snøløs.
Attendees to the Norway Cup can visit The Starting Line tent in the Global Goals Arena, which is open throughout the tournament. Visitors can find their spot on The Starting Lineof life and participate in campaign-themed activities. The tent is also staffed by a team of experts available to discuss the campaign and Gavi’s wider work.
Notes to editors
For more information and to discover your spot on The Starting Line, please see here: https://the-starting-line.com/
About Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing country and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work here.
Since its inception in 2000, Gavi has helped to immunise a whole generation – over 1 billion children – and prevented more than 17.3 million future deaths, helping to halve child mortality in 78 lower-income countries. Gavi also plays a key role in improving global health security by supporting health systems as well as funding global stockpiles for Ebola, cholera, meningococcal and yellow fever vaccines. After two decades of progress, Gavi is now focused on protecting the next generation, above all the zero-dose children who have not received even a single vaccine shot. The Vaccine Alliance employs innovative finance and the latest technology – from drones to biometrics – to save lives, prevent outbreaks before they can spread and help countries on the road to self-sufficiency. Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and X (Twitter).
MEDIA CONTACTS
Eunice Kilonzo-Muraya
+41 76 424 85 03
ekilonzo@gavi.org
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
(206) 709-3400
media@gatesfoundation.org
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