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Refugee footballers kick off Manchester’s sixth World Cup

June 20 2005

Refugee footballers from across the world will take part in Manchester’s sixth Refugee World Cup on Sunday June 19th.

Former international footballers who have fled persecution will play alongside other asylum seekers, refugees and local players during the annual tournament, which forms part of the city’s Refugee Week celebrations.

The 16 teams playing will include reigning champions Kabul United, an Afghan team from Manchester and Salford, and teams from countries as diverse as Ethiopia, Liberia, Congo, Eritrea, Zimbabwe and Angola.

Ahmed Seddiqi (23), a refugee from Afghanistan, is a player with Kabul United. He was the captain of his school football team in Kabul and had dreams of playing professionally until he was forced to flee his country in 2001.

Ahmed said: "When I came to this country I didn't know anyone and my English was not very good. But training with other people has meant I have made good friends.

"The Refugee World Cup is great because so many people from so many different countries and cultures come together. It is an event you never forget. When we
won the tournament last year we were over the moon - it was a very beautiful day. We hope we are going to hold onto the cup this year and are training towards that."

The refugee players will join plenty of home grown talent from mixed teams like Brougton Men’s Health Club in Salford, and Manchester Motown, a team playing in the Manchester Publicity Sunday League.

The tournament is organised by Refugee Action in partnership with Colin Moore, the social inclusion officer at Manchester Football Association.

Refugee Action’s Ged Devaney, one of the event organisers, said: “Football crosses language and cultural barriers and brings people together.

“Many asylum seekers and refugees who have fled persecution and conflict in their own countries can feel isolated and traumatised as they try to rebuild their lives in the UK. Playing football helps the players to escape their problems for a
few hours, to make new friends and become integrated into their new community. The Refugee World Cup is a celebration of this and a chance to unite these teams in their passion for football.”

The Refugee World Cup will take place at the Armitage Centre, University of Manchester, Moseley Road, Fallowfield, Manchester, from 11am until 4.30pm.

ENDS

If you would like further information or would like to arrange a photograph or an interview with an organiser please contact Julia Ravenscroft, press officer at Refugee Action, on 0161 233 1956 or juliar@refugee-action.org.uk.

Notes to editors:

National Refugee Week is a UK wide festival that celebrates the enormous contribution made by refugees to UK life. Every year hundreds of arts, cultural and educational events are organised across the UK.
Refugee Action is an independent, national charity working to enable refugees to build new lives in the UK. We provide practical advice and assistance for newly arrived asylum seekers and long-term commitment to their settlement through community development work, and received 30,000 visits from asylum seekers last year. As one of the country’s leading agencies in the field, Refugee Action has 24 years’ experience in pioneering innovative work in partnership with refugees.

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