Carnival of colours at Homeless World Cup Opening Parade
|Argentina are one of 38 nations competing at this year's Homeless World Cup. Image: Anita Milas
Country flags, Viking hats, kangaroos and two special mini supporters at HWC Opening Parade
| Image: Anita Milas
By Danielle Batist
The spirit of the Homeless World Cup was palpable on the grounds of Seoul’s Hanyang University long before a ball had even been kicked. Over the last week, some 450 players arrived at Incheon Airport from 38 countries, proudly wearing their national kit. First introductions were made and it wasn’t long before the first multi-team sing-alongs filled the buses bringing players and staff to their accommodation.
Saturday saw the teams waking up to heavy rainfall. After a delayed start and last minute water draining off the pitches, the opening parade took off. Led by a traditional Korean marching band, players walked across the university campus, cheered on by passing students and local volunteers.
While the Homeless World Cup allows players to only participate once, many coaches, support staff and volunteers have been coming to the tournament for years. For them, the parade was also a chance to reunite with old friends and colleagues not seen since last year’s edition in Sacramento, USA.
In what has become a Homeless World Cup tradition, teams showed off a selection of national merchandise while waving their national flags. The Mexicans wore bright coloured Lucha Libre masks and Norway showed off a selection of fluffy and plastic Viking helmets. The Australians not only brought big yellow inflatable kangaroos, but also two very special mini supporters who may well be the first ‘Homeless World Cup babies’ to attend the event. Team coach George Halkias met his wife at the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup and now, 16 years later, brought the whole family to Seoul.
Not all countries made it in time for the Opening Ceremony. Visa issues unfortunately are a big hurdle for some of the teams each year. Despite local and global partners’ best efforts, team Bangladesh, who are attending the event for the first time this year, got their visas approved so late that they were unable to make their flights. In a display of sheer determination to take part, they managed to get a new flight and will arrive on Sunday instead.
|India delighted to return to the Homeless World Cup in Seoul after missing Sacramento.
Image: Anita Milas
The Indian team also was plagued by visa problems. Last year they had to miss the event after their visas did not come through. This year, they obtained them with only hours to spare. A drive across the country was needed to physically collect the visas and bring them to the team as they got ready to leave. With players having waited and trained two years to attend, it was no wonder to see both the men and women Indian teams beaming with joy in the parade.
|Mel Young (right) with Australian players at the opening ceremony. Image: Anita Milas
“There are many challenges in the world, but if we all do a little thing and we do it together, we create this amazing energy”, Homeless World Cup Founder Mel Young told players during the opening ceremony. Judging by all the high-fiving, cheering and clapping for each of the 16 womens and 36 mens teams, this promises to be a tournament full of energy indeed.
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Words: Danielle Batist