How the Homeless World Cup changes lives

FIFPRO

15/08/2025

There are an estimated 100 million people across the world who are currently homeless, with one billion lacking access to acceptable housing conditions.

The Homeless World Cup was first introduced in 2003 as a means of bringing a sense of community to the homeless. The aim is to give players the tools to make positive changes in their lives and tackle homelessness and social isolation. The 20th edition will take place in Oslo, Norway on 23-30 August and will feature more than 500 players from 48 countries.

The tournament received a boost in recognition thanks to Netflix film The Beautiful Game – a fictional sports drama featuring Bill Nighy which follows the England team’s journey at the tournament.

Mel Young, the co-founder and president of the Homeless World Cup, talks about what the initiative means for the players and how it harnesses the power of football to generate positive change.

FIFPRO: How did the idea of the Homeless World Cup come about?

Mel Young: It all started with an impassioned conversation in the pub with a good friend, Harald Schmied, about how we could make a tangible difference in the lives of homeless people. We threw some ideas around until the very common language of football occurred to us.

We’re both big football fans and agreed that setting up a match between our home countries of Scotland and Austria would be an excellent venture. We shook hands on it, finished our beers and then went home for the evening. Sometimes that’s where ideas are left, but the next morning over breakfast we came back to it and realised that we were on to something, and there was no reason to limit it to just two nations – and really, that’s where the Homeless World Cup was born.

Mel And Harald — Mel Young (left) with Harald Schmied

How do you see football as a tool for positive change?

It’s accessible and inclusive. All you need to bring people together as a team is a ball – and that makes football incredibly powerful. With a real sense of community, homeless people can be isolated which demands a solitary sense of survival that often results in an, understandably, selfish approach to life. Training as part of a team ahead of the tournament gives them a new focus; it makes them feel part of something and gives them a reason to work towards a common goal with others. Psychologically that’s a huge step.

Then we get to the actual tournament where they are being cheered on by society, by people that would have previously looked down on them and walked past them in the street. It’s an incredible atmosphere that generates positivity and respect, and homeless people find themselves at the centre of that.

Homeless World Cup Seoul 2 — Players at the 2024 Homeless World Cup in Seoul

The Homeless World Cup recently signed a new two-year Memorandum of Understanding with FIFPRO, continuing the partnership they officially started in 2015. How has partnering with FIFPRO helped the initiative?

Having a global football organisation such as FIFPRO partner with us is so important on many different levels. While I think we have a good reputation on our own standing, FIFPRO lends a real credibility within the football community, which is invaluable to us. It’s a relationship that has been around for a long time, and one we’ve really treasured throughout the progression of the Homeless World Cup.

The network they provide with active and former players is so special to be a part of, and seeing the participants receiving their awards from well-known names within the game is just magic. It’s an uplifting moment for many of them.

FIFPRO also sponsor our Daily Fair Play Award, for teams showing outstanding sportsmanship, which exemplifies the whole ethos of the tournament. It recognises the spirit of community and hard work, and it gives teams something to aspire to other than just winning.

HWC Fair Play Award 2 — Players receiving the FIFPRO Fair Play Award

With all that in mind, how are preparations going for Oslo?

Preparations are going well. There are a lot of teams involved this year. We’ve held a tournament in Oslo before and the Norwegians are super organisers, as well as empathetic about what we are trying to achieve.

There will always be challenges – moving homeless people across borders is a very difficult undertaking – but we hope to take it all in our stride. There’s a lot of hard work and expertise that goes into hosting the Homeless World Cup, and I’m appreciative of everyone that contributes their time and energy to what I’m sure will be another brilliant event.

Homeless World Cup Seoul 4 — Players from Mexico at the 2024 edition of the tournament

Is there a special moment that illustrates what the Homeless World Cup is all about?

Nothing beats the feeling when former players get in touch to let us know that, as a direct result of their involvement, they are no longer homeless. There have been hundreds of examples of this over the years, and it fills me with a deep sense of pride to be connected with an organisation that is making a difference like that. It’s the players themselves that show up for training and work hard for a positive change in their lives – we just give them the opportunity and the platform.