The foundation, whose objective is to play an active role in shaping the future of towns and cities, have called for entrants to the competition which has a €15,000 (£11,600/$16,800) prize on offer for the winners.

It is hoped sports projects will enter, with each applicant needing to show how their initiative provides refugees with aid.

Additionally, the submissions also need to detail how their projects are promoting the integration of refugees into society.

"A central task of cities and towns in the next few years is the integration of refugees, and often very creative and individual approaches help locally,” said Alexander Otto, Lebendige Stadt chairman.

“Sport succeeds in easily reaching out to migrants to bring them together with the people living here.

"This facilitates cultural cooperation, where language barriers are overcome quickly."

Applications must be submitted by March 31.

The competition is the latest project aimed at helping to integrate refugees into Germany, in the wake of the global refugee crisis, which has seen thousands of people make dangerous sea crossings across the Mediterranean after fleeing their homes in Africa and Asia, mainly as a result of war.

Germany was believed to have taken in 800,000 asylum seekers in 2015, four times more than the total from the previous year. 

"The refugee crisis is one of the central challenges of our time, which requires urgent solutions,” said Alfons Hörmann, DOSB President.

“Germany, with its 90,000 sports clubs, shows daily the enormous integrative power of sport.

“Sport speaks all languages, regardless of skin colour, religion and nationality apply to all the same rules in a fair competition, not where you come from, but where are you going.

“I am pleased that the Lebendige Stadt has initiated this competition together with the DOSB."