María Francisca Perelló
On leading the Rafa Nadal Foundation, championing inclusion through sport and education & reimagining solidarity for the future.
For fifteen years, the Rafa Nadal Foundation has been transforming the lives of children and young people in vulnerable situations, harnessing the power of sport and education as vehicles for inclusion, empowerment, and development. Behind the scenes, driving this remarkable mission forward, is María Francisca Perelló — Director of the Foundation and a pivotal force in the management, expansion, and heart of its programs. In this exclusive interview, María Francisca offers a candid look into the Foundation’s impact, the challenges of leading a social organisation, and the powerful stories of personal transformation that emerge from their work. She also shares her vision for the future and reflects on the meaning of solidarity in today’s world.
By Mar Piris
26/05/25
How does the Rafa Nadal Foundation combine educational support with sports? Have you seen tangible changes in children’s lives thanks to this combination? And how many children and young people have benefited so far?
At the Rafa Nadal Foundation, we believe that sports and education are very powerful tools for social transformation. These tools are common to our four projects. At the Rafa Nadal Foundation Centers, every afternoon, the children and adolescents we serve receive educational support, participate in structured sports activities, and have a multidisciplinary team that also supports their emotional and social development. This holistic approach is what makes the difference. It is the balanced combination of education, sports, and emotional support that allows a child to flourish.
At the Rafa Nadal Foundation Center in Palma, located in the Nou Llevant neighbourhood, we support 250 vulnerable children between the ages of 5 and 17 each year. In 2025, we celebrate a decade of commitment and growth with this project, and we are proud to see how it continues to consolidate and evolve day by day. Furthermore, for three years we have been developing the Play All program in Barcelona, an initiative that brings tennis to children in vulnerable neighbourhoods in the city. With this project, we seek to break down barriers to access to sport, offering real opportunities for participation and educational development through play.
Thanks to the Más Que Tenis program, more than 350 athletes with intellectual disabilities from all over Spain receive regular tennis training. One of the most anticipated moments of the year is the Más Que Tenis National Meeting, which we hold at the Rafa Nadal Academy in Manacor.
A unique weekend in which participants not only compete but also share experiences, have fun, and assert the power of sport as a tool for inclusion. In India, we promote the NETS (Nadal Educational Tennis School) project, where we offer tennis, English, and computer classes to rural children. This space has become a safe haven of opportunity, where children can learn, play, and grow on equal terms, without gender or social background being a barrier to their development. Since 2010, more than 10,000 children and young people have participated in our programs in Spain and India. We have seen significant improvements in their self-esteem, their ability to relate to others, their commitment to their studies, and their physical and emotional health. And beyond the metrics, the most important thing is that they come to see themselves as valuable, capable people with a future ahead of them. This transformation is deeply meaningful.
Can you share a story? Since you’ve led the Rafa Nadal Foundation, is there anything that has had a special impact on you and changed your perspective? There are many stories that have moved me over the years, but there are some that will stay with you forever.
I remember with particular fondness the case of Pallavi, a girl from India who participated in our NETS project, the tennis school we promote together with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation. At first, she was a very shy girl, with many insecurities and few opportunities in her environment. Through sports, educational support, and the confidence she developed, she not only improved her performance but also her self-esteem. Today, she works as a tennis coach in Bangalore, a nearby city, and is a role model for many girls in her community. What struck me most was how she talks about her journey: she says that tennis has taught her to trust herself, to make mistakes without fear, and to move forward. These kinds of stories remind you that it’s not just about promoting sports or offering them a safe space, but about opening up life paths where none existed before. And that is very powerful.
On leading the Rafa Nadal Foundation, championing inclusion through sport and education & reimagining solidarity for the future.
For fifteen years, the Rafa Nadal Foundation has been transforming the lives of children and young people in vulnerable situations, harnessing the power of sport and education as vehicles for inclusion, empowerment, and development. Behind the scenes, driving this remarkable mission forward, is María Francisca Perelló — Director of the Foundation and a pivotal force in the management, expansion, and heart of its programs. In this exclusive interview, María Francisca offers a candid look into the Foundation’s impact, the challenges of leading a social organisation, and the powerful stories of personal transformation that emerge from their work. She also shares her vision for the future and reflects on the meaning of solidarity in today’s world.
A unique weekend in which participants not only compete but also share experiences, have fun, and assert the power of sport as a tool for inclusion. In India, we promote the NETS (Nadal Educational Tennis School) project, where we offer tennis, English, and computer classes to rural children. This space has become a safe haven of opportunity, where children can learn, play, and grow on equal terms, without gender or social background being a barrier to their development. Since 2010, more than 10,000 children and young people have participated in our programs in Spain and India. We have seen significant improvements in their self-esteem, their ability to relate to others, their commitment to their studies, and their physical and emotional health. And beyond the metrics, the most important thing is that they come to see themselves as valuable, capable people with a future ahead of them. This transformation is deeply meaningful.
Can you share a story? Since you’ve led the Rafa Nadal Foundation, is there anything that has had a special impact on you and changed your perspective? There are many stories that have moved me over the years, but there are some that will stay with you forever.
I remember with particular fondness the case of Pallavi, a girl from India who participated in our NETS project, the tennis school we promote together with the Vicente Ferrer Foundation. At first, she was a very shy girl, with many insecurities and few opportunities in her environment. Through sports, educational support, and the confidence she developed, she not only improved her performance but also her self-esteem. Today, she works as a tennis coach in Bangalore, a nearby city, and is a role model for many girls in her community. What struck me most was how she talks about her journey: she says that tennis has taught her to trust herself, to make mistakes without fear, and to move forward. These kinds of stories remind you that it’s not just about promoting sports or offering them a safe space, but about opening up life paths where none existed before. And that is very powerful.
What are the Foundation’s future plans? Do you plan to expand to other countries or develop new programs?
Our priority now is to consolidate what we already do, take care of it, and constantly improve it. We don’t believe so much in growth for the sake of growth, but in growth with purpose, listening to the real needs of children, their families, and their surroundings. We are always exploring the possibility of expanding the impact of our programs to other areas of Spain where we detect growing situations of vulnerability, but we will do so with caution and safety. In addition, we are continuously working to update and improve our methodologies to adapt to the new social, educational, and emotional challenges that children face. Beyond geographical expansion, what drives us is the desire for every child who visits the Foundation to feel that they are important, that they have value, and that their future can be different. And that’s what we’re focusing our efforts on: creating transformative and long-term sustainable experiences.
One of our most exciting initiatives is the Rafa Nadal Foundation Awards, through which we support social organisations across Spain through financial prizes, public recognition, and visibility. So far, we’ve held three editions, awarding 15 social organisations, and we hope to continue promoting many more. The awards ceremony is held every March in Palma de Mallorca and has become a very special event for us. It’s a day in which we highlight the work of organisations that, with their commitment and dedication, contribute to transforming society. Through these awards, we want to recognise their impact, give them a voice, and add our support to projects other than our own, but equally necessary.
What are the Foundation’s future plans? Do you plan to expand to other countries or develop new programs?
Our priority now is to consolidate what we already do, take care of it, and constantly improve it. We don’t believe so much in growth for the sake of growth, but in growth with purpose, listening to the real needs of children, their families, and their surroundings. We are always exploring the possibility of expanding the impact of our programs to other areas of Spain where we detect growing situations of vulnerability, but we will do so with caution and safety. In addition, we are continuously working to update and improve our methodologies to adapt to the new social, educational, and emotional challenges that children face. Beyond geographical expansion, what drives us is the desire for every child who visits the Foundation to feel that they are important, that they have value, and that their future can be different. And that’s what we’re focusing our efforts on: creating transformative and long-term sustainable experiences.
One of our most exciting initiatives is the Rafa Nadal Foundation Awards, through which we support social organisations across Spain through financial prizes, public recognition, and visibility. So far, we’ve held three editions, awarding 15 social organisations, and we hope to continue promoting many more. The awards ceremony is held every March in Palma de Mallorca and has become a very special event for us. It’s a day in which we highlight the work of organisations that, with their commitment and dedication, contribute to transforming society. Through these awards, we want to recognise their impact, give them a voice, and add our support to projects other than our own, but equally necessary.