The Street Child World Cup kicked off with 30 teams of street-connected young people travelling from across the world to take part, including Palestine, Germany, Kenya, Mexico Ikoots (Indigenous), and Brazil.
The tournament takes place from May 6th to Thursday 14th. It is being held in partnership with Fútbol Más Mexico.
Sponsors of the 2026 Street Child World Cup include the Government of Mexico – IMSS, Lenovo, and the Embassy of Canada.
Hosted by Street Child United (SCU), the Street Child World Cup is the charity’s flagship event. It uses the power of football to give street-connected young people a platform to speak directly to those in power and turn visibility into commitments that drive lasting change.
Street-connected young people, who have or are currently living on the streets, are unable to make their voices heard. They also lack the opportunity to communicate with those in power.
SCU empowers them to communicate their needs and influence the decisions that shape their futures.
The Street Child World Cup uses the momentum of the world’s biggest sporting event, the FIFA World Cup. It aims to transform the way the world treats street-connected young people.
The event serves as a vehicle for structured advocacy sessions. It offers safe spaces for young people to share their experiences.
Through football, art, and congress sessions, Street Child World Cup gives street-connected young people the chance to share their experiences and advocate for change.
The event finishes with the General Assembly, during which the participants discuss and document their demands of those in power. Then, these demands are taken back to their home countries to campaign for change.
“Years of preparation and excitement have led us to this moment. SCU has been supported by multiple partners, sponsors and supporters. Pulling off a global event of this size is no mean feat, but I always say that the world conspires with us, and we have been overwhelmed with support every step of the way.” John Wroe, CEO of Street Child United said.
“Without an official identity, street-connected young people face barriers to vital services such as healthcare and education. We are committed to giving these young people a platform to have their voices heard and drive lasting change in their communities and globally. Together, they will declare to the world: ‘I am somebody.’”
Ignacio Gómez, Executive Director of Fútbol Más México, said: “We are honoured to be working with the Street Child United team to deliver the Street Child World Cup. As a great footballing nation, Mexico is the perfect host nation and, from our experience of working with SCU on previous tournaments, we know the excitement, power and lasting change the events can bring. We cannot wait to welcome everyone, and support SCU in delivering a tournament full of football, advocacy and connection.”
This year’s Street Child World Cup will also result in a North American Tour. The tour will take in cities including Mexico City, Seattle, Miami, Washington DC., New York, and Toronto. Finally, it will end at the UN in New York City.
