The 2023 Homeless World Cup: Stories from Women’s Soccer Players
This past July, Sacramento, California, hosted the 2023 Homeless World Cup. Countries from all over the globe presented teams to compete in the street-style soccer tournament. This event focuses on enabling marginalized groups to participate in the empowering atmosphere of team play and presents the opportunity to uplift female unhoused players. As our favorite women’s soccer teams and players compete in the Women’s World Cup, it is important to recognize the athletes who love to play soccer no matter how big their stage is.
Team Morale
Many players participating in this tournament expressed finding family in their street soccer teams. Two players for the Wales team explained their relationship and love of soccer by pinpointing it as the place where they met and became good friends in Wales at a very young age.
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A manager from Indonesia explained that the love and support she feels from her team is even stronger than family.
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Often, soccer was an escape from a rough time in childhood, so focusing on the feelings that came with playing soccer help them persevere and live happily. A player from the Austrian team said that soccer and friends were something that kept her positive during rough times in her life. She sends a message of empowerment to girls who play soccer; “You matter, fight for your place, keep going”.
Culture
This tournament is also an opportunity for the players to travel and celebrate their countries with pride. Mexico’s women’s team players are very proud of their country and are excited about being able to represent them in a soccer tournament.
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The tournament is also a fantastic chance for players from different countries to meet each other, share their different cultures, and become friends. The goalkeeper from Indonesia’s team shares that she sells sports material hijabs for Muslim people who want to play sports more comfortably. She is able to educate others about her culture at the tournament.
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Many players expressed that this opportunity is amazing because they can make friends and connect with others. A member of the US team at the Homeless World Cup who is originally from Yemar tells her story of being able to relate to the players at this tournament on a deeper level.
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About the Tournament
The Homeless World Cup started in 2003 to involve unhoused individuals in street soccer competitions. The event is held every year since then, not including the disruption of COVID-19. This event aims to inspire the players to change their lives and improve perceptions about unhoused people.
This year, there were 12 women’s teams who represented Sweden, Wales, Denmark, the United States, Mexico, Ireland, Finland, France, Austria, Chile, Romania, and Norway. In the women’s final, Mexico and Chile went head to head. Mexico came out on top as the women’s team champions of this year’s Homeless World Cup.
Featured image via Anita Milas @homelessworldcup on Instagram
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