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ZIMBABWE are looking at sending a team to this year’s Homeless World Cup football tournament which will be held in New York, United States, in September.
The Homeless World Cup Foundation (HWCF) this week announced that advanced discussions are in place to host the 2022 Homeless World Cup in the USA for the first time since the tournament began in 2003.
New York wll host the tournament in September this year, which brings together a network of HWCF street football partners from around the world to celebrate the beautiful game.
And Zimbabwe are likely to be part of this football jamboree which is designed for the homeless and underprivileged members of the society around the world.
Petros Chatiza, the country’s co-ordinator for the Homeless World Cup football tournament, yesterday told The Herald that they were looking at sending a team to New York in September after having seen the event postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak worldwide.
“Before the outbreak of the Covid-19, Zimbabwe competed in almost every Homeless World Cup tournament and we are happy that the event is back on the radar after its organisers indicated that it will be held in New York in September this year.
“We are now going to search for the players who are eligible to take part in this tournament and we are also going to kick-start our fund-raising activities which will enable us to send a team that will represent Zimbabwe at the 2022 Homeless World Cup in New York in September,” Chatiza said.
The Homeless World Cup is a unique and pioneering tournament that uses football to inspire and demonstrate the power of sport in changing people’s lives.
After the postponement of two tournaments in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the announcement that the tournament will be held in New York in September is a step in the right direction in bringing this much loved and much missed tournament back on a global stage.
The venue, size, exact dates in September, the duration of the tournament, countries involved and other logistics are in discussion and will be shared once confirmed.
Mel Young, HWCF president and co-founder, recently said: “Since 2003 we have proved that using the power of football can change lives and through our annual tournament and our partnerships across the world, we are committed to tackling and ending homelessness.
“Everyone at the Foundation, our global Street Football Partners and our loyal supporters have deeply missed our annual tournament, so we are delighted, excited and encouraged to be in a position to announce that the HWCF and partners in New York are in advanced discussions to host the Homeless World Cup in 2022.”
Lawrence Cann, founder and CEO, Street Soccer USA also said: “We support the mission and vision of the Homeless World Cup and believe in the players and coaches across the world banding together to improve their lives. Many global sporting events have fallen victim to the Covid-19 pandemic and the Homeless World Cup has been no different, but if any city is built to demonstrate the leadership and resilience required to host the return of the Homeless World Cup it is New York City.”
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