At the Homeless World Cup, it’s not whether you win or lose that matters — it’s the lives you change along the way! This year’s tournament is being hosted in the U.S. for the very first time at California State University, Sacramento. It opened last Saturday with a game between USA and Indonesia. Featuring teams from all over the globe, the event will continue throughout the week.
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Soccer is played a little differently on the Homeless World Cup field. There are only four players per team, and each match only lasts 15 minutes, Reuters tells us. However, that’s not the only thing that sets this tournament apart from other sporting events. Every participating player has been without a stable living situation at some point in the past two years, and they’re all working together to shine a light on houseless individuals throughout the world.
The Homeless World Cup is doing more than raising awareness, however. According to their website, a high percentage of players have reported that their lives changed significantly for the better after participating in the event.
“Being homeless can be incredibly isolating, making people feel removed from society and alone,” reads the site. “Joining a football (soccer) team can be a small but hugely significant step in helping an individual to become part of a community. We use football as a global support network to help and inspire people struggling to make a home for themselves.”
It’s free to attend the event as a spectator, and hundreds of soccer fans can be seen cheering from the sidelines. Lawrence Cann, CEO of Street Soccer USA, says that the fast-paced games are easier to watch.
“The matches only last two seven-minute halves, so you can stay here for an hour and watch six or eight different teams,” he said, according to CBS News Sacramento. He added, “Soccer and sports is a way to recuperate their lives.”
