Big Issue Recruits Disadvantaged Aussies To Compete In Homeless World Cup

Alright guys, quite apart from stories about homophobia and some terrifying new thing called ‘fingering meditation session‘, we do run a few warm + fuzzy news stories from time to time, and here’s one of ’em.

There’s a lil’ thing called the Homeless World Cup each year, which each year sees teams of homeless people from around the globe compete in an international soccer tournament. And this morning, the Aussie team was selected.

Called the Street Socceroos (a giddy-makingly perfecto name imo), the seven male and female team members were selected this morning from the hundreds of homeless people who compete in The Big Issue‘s grassroots Community Street Soccer Program, an initiative which aims to give people a sense of purpose and belonging.

Or, as Minister for Health and Sport Sussan Ley said at Parliament House today when she presented the team their jerseys:


“[The program gives players] better nutrition, increased physical fitness and decreased rates of smoking and substance abuse are changing players’ lives for the better. The benefits of the program extend beyond the physical, with many players also improving their psychological wellbeing,”

The Street Socceroos will be heading for the Homeless World Cup in Glasgow, Scotland in July, where they’ll compete against an expected 51 other nations for the championship.


“For some, this is their first opportunity to travel outside Australia
,” said The Big Issue CEO Steven Persson, saying that it was “an opportunity for the Street Socceroos to connect with homeless and disadvantaged men and women from around the world in the spirit of friendship, social inclusion and fair play.”

It’s their 8th time competing; the Street Socceroos won the prestigious Fair Play Award for sportsmanship / positive attitude in both 2009 and 2001, so here’s hoping for them to bring home another trophy. 

Image: Supplied.

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