2024
Hanyang University
Seoul
1st time in Asia
52 teams
450 plAyers
38 nations

The 19th edition of the Homeless World Cup took place at Hanyang University, the first time the tournament has been held in Asia, from September 21 – September 28, 2024.

450 players representing 38 nations travelled to Korean capital, Seoul to attend the week-long tournament.

Hanyang University which was founded on the principles of love and kindness was this year’s host, offering players the unique opportunity to proudly represent their country on a global stage.

There were a total of seven trophies at the tournament: two for the Women’s competition and five for the Men’s. The Men’s Homeless World Cup and Women’s Homeless World Cup trophies are the top prizes, respectively.

The new Women’s Homeless World Cup trophy, which was designed and supplied by FIFA and inspired by women from the wider Homeless World Cup network was unveiled at the tournament. Homeless World Cup Champion and former Palestinian captain Honey Thaljieh proudly presented the trophy to the 16 Womens’ captains on the concluding day of the group stage of the competition.

On finals day, Mexico won a record ninth victory in the Women’s Homeless World Cup beating Romania, who despite a cooly taken penalty which gave them an early lead and spectacular strike into the top corner weren’t able to challenge the reigning champions. At half time the score was even at 1-1 but the Mexicans returned from the break dominant and went on to win 5-2.

Mexico were also in action in the Men’s Homeless World Cup final, taking on relative unknown England. England came into the competition ranked as a wildcard as they were being represented in the tournament by Street Soccer London for the first time.

However after a dominant run in the group stages and after beating Indonesia in the semi-final they deserved their place in the final and were agonisingly close to beating the five time Homeless World Cup champions. The final went down to the wire with Alan Eduardo Posada Salas snatching a 6-5 victory for the Mexicans in the dying seconds of the game. An unforgettable final which will live on long in the memory.

The final day at The Homeless World Cup is unique with a total of seven trophies up for grabs. Read Craig Williams’s match report on the first five finals.

After eight days in the Seoul sunshine 450 players returned to their countries with a sense of pride and purpose. Regardless of their final position in the competition, they will always be able to say they have represented their country on a global stage and there is no prize greater than that.