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Search and Groom
Youth for Development Centre, a Lagos-based NGO, has been mandated by
the organizers of the Homeless World Cup to select Nigeria’s team for
the next edition of the tournament billed for 2011 in France. Mel Young,

president of the
Homeless World Cup, in an official letter addressed to Yomi Kuku, the
executive director of Search and Groom, stated that: “The Homeless
World Cup is delighted to inform and confirm Search And Groom Youth for
Development Centre as the official organizer of the Nigerian National
Street Soccer Team and all surrounding selection activities for the
Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup.”

Mr. Young further
praised the global partnership saying: “Over 70 percent of players
experience a significant life change — they come off drugs, alcohol,
get jobs, homes, education, and training, and become football players,
coaches and social entrepreneurs. This radical and significant change
happens through collaboration with you, our partners based all over the
world. We wish you the greatest success on your journey to Paris.”

Nigeria has played
at the Homeless World Cup four times following her debut appearance at
the 2006 tournament in Cape Town, South Africa. Nigeria was also
present at the 2007 tournament in Copenhagen, Denmark; in Melbourne,
Australia in 2008, as well as at the 2009 edition which took place in
Milan, Italy where the country’s team went as far as the semi finals.

Forty-seven teams to attend

Next year’s
tournament will be the ninth edition of the Homeless World Cup, and it
will come up in the French capital city, Paris between August 21-28
with 47 countries, including Nigeria, expected. Teams heading to Paris
include last year’s winners Brazil, host France, Germany, England,
Sweden, Ghana, South Africa, India, Kenya, Cambodia and Indonesia, who
will be attending the event for the first time.

Over 500 players are
expected to converge on the Champs-de-Mars, in the shadow of the Eiffel
tower, for the week long tournament which uses football to energize
homeless people living in poverty, into changing their own lives.

During the tournament, the players will be demonstrating their football
skills in front of an estimated 50,000 strong crowd on specially
designed pitches at one of France’s most iconic landmarks. The Paris
2011 Homeless World Cup is supported nationally by Collectif ‘Remise en
Jeu’, and Arsene Wenger, Manager of Arsenal Football Club, who is
President of the Paris 2011 Homeless World Cup Local Organising
Committee.

He joins former international professional footballers
Emmanuel Petit and Lilian Thuram, as ambassadors of the Paris 2011
Homeless World Cup. The Homeless World Cup promotes social integration
through football and creates fresh, inventive solutions to end
homelessness and poverty worldwide.