After twenty years, we’re back in the place where the Homeless World Cup became a reality
| The innaugral Homeless World Cup took place in Graz, Austria in 2003 after a very important meeting in Madrid. Image: Mauricio Bustamante
In 2002, founders of the Homeless World Cup pitched the tournament to the network of street papers in Madrid.
Twenty years later, seven nations will compete in a two day street football tournament in neighbouring city Fuenlabrada.
On 12th – 13th November 2022, the Homeless World Cup hosts its first ever event in Spain. The two-day tournament in Fuenlabrada will feature teams comprising of male and female players from Bosnia & Herzegovina, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and Ukraine.
Despite it being the Homeless World Cup’s first competition in Spain, the city of Madrid has played a significant role in the history of the Homeless World Cup.
Founders Mel Young and Harald Schmied, both running street papers at the time, came up with the initial idea during the International Street Papers’ annual conference in Cape Town in 2001.
But as Mel Young explains, “It’s one thing to come up with an idea, it’s another to make it a reality.”
The conversation turning it from a pipe dream into something more concrete took place after Cape Town, with final decisions being made in Madrid in 2002.
Mel Young and Harald Schmied presented to the network of street papers at an event in Madrid, asking them to bring teams made up of homeless players to a tournament in Graz, Austria.
After some convincing, Harald persuaded the organising committee for the European Capital of Culture to allow the tournament to be part of the celebrations. The tournament took place the following summer and became the inaugural Homeless World Cup.
Mel Young added: “As the Homeless World Cup approaches it’s twentieth year in 2023, it feels like a poignant and significant moment to return to Spain for our first international tournament since the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Find out more about the event in Fuenlabrada and the teams competing here.