Celebrating Football For Good Day at London Stadium
In just over a week, participants from the Street Soccer Foundation Academy are gearing up for a thrilling event on the lush green of the London Stadium, where they will participate in a tournament to celebrate Football For Good Day.
International Celebration Through Football
As the ten Academy teams go head-to-head in London on 19 November, football matches and events will be taking place across the 56 Commonwealth member countries to mark ‘Football For Good’ – an international celebration of the sport’s power to change lives for the better.
The Players' Stories
Among the Street Soccer Academy participants playing in the tournament will be 18 to 30-year olds experiencing homelessness, former young offenders and those not in education, employment or training.
This includes Megan, who will be playing for Leicester City in the Community:
Playing at the London Stadium feels unbelievable! I’ve had many bad things happen this year, such as becoming homeless and I have lost my best friend and these things really set me back. When I heard about the Street Soccer Academy and joined, I was hardly going out and not really talking to people, but now I have more motivation, I’m going out a lot more and becoming more confident within myself.
Asmahan, who is part of the Brentford FC Community Sports Trust team, said:
It has given me the motivation to stop vaping, improved my confidence and fitness levels and I can’t wait to play in the tournament.
Leroy will be playing for Salford City’s Foundation 92:
The academy course gives us something to focus on besides what is going on in our personal lives at the moment – not only the football aspect, but also regarding mental health and how we should live with and interact with one another. It has created a beautiful community.
His team-mate Robert added:
Football motivates me to socialise with others and separates me from the troubles in my personal life.
Gaming Meets Football
As well as competing for the Football For Good trophy in the stadium that hosted the London 2012 Olympic Games and is now home to West Ham United, some will also be able to take part in one of the very first EA Sports FC 24 gaming tournaments, being hosted by GAME in partnership with Microsoft.
Nick Arran, Managing Director for GAME said,
Football is at the heart of the community and GAME is honoured to be supporting the Street Soccer Foundation through this tremendously worthy cause, which helps so many young people improve their lives through the power of sport. Community means a great deal to us here at GAME and EA Sports FC 24 brings the spirit and intensity of the beautiful game to life with stunning realism, which we are certain will make for a thrilling tournament.
Business Leaders Joining the Cause
Business leaders will also be bringing their sleeping bags along to take part in an overnight sleep out inside the London Stadium on 19 November, to raise awareness of homelessness and funds for the Street Soccer Foundation.
A Commonwealth Initiative
Football For Good was launched in August as a partnership between the Street Soccer Foundation, the Commonwealth and Catalyst in Communities and forms part of the Commonwealth’s ‘Year of Youth’ project, which is marking 50 years of the Commonwealth Youth Programme.
The collaboration celebrates football’s ability to transform communities through youth development, education, peace and unity and aims to see Commonwealth Heads of Government committing to collaborative action on youth-related issues, including climate change, access to education and employment.
A Quote from the Founder
We have witnessed through our programmes the positive impact football can have in the lives of young people - from creating friendships, boosting their confidence, giving them a new purpose and aiding their physical and mental health. Our Football For Good initiative will harness that power to bring communities together in celebration of the Year of Youth and we are delighted to partner with the Commonwealth and otherson this exciting new global movement.
Connecting Globally Through Football
The event at the London Stadium will connect with similar football events going on across the Commonwealth on 19 November, through live streaming and social media, to form a global celebration.
The Academies Behind the Players
Young people taking part in the Football For Good Day tournament are from ten Street Soccer Academies held in partnership with: West Ham United Foundation, Chelsea FC Foundation, Sheffield United Community Foundation, Brentford FC Community Sports Trust, Hull City’s Tigers Trust, Everton in the Community, Sunderland FC’s Foundation of Light, Leicester City in the Community, Liverpool’s LFC Foundation and Salford City’s Foundation 92.
Get involved
You can get involved with Football for Good Day:
Join us under the stars at London Stadium and sign up for the sleepout HERE.
Tune in to the Live Stream HERE.
Or donate to our cause by texting FFG plus the amount you’d like to donate to 70470. For example if you would like to donate £10 please text FFG 10 to 70470.