The Homeless World Cup, an event utilizing soccer as a vehicle to inspire those experiencing homelessness, is taking place in the U.S. for the first time.
SACRAMENTO — Matt Fairweather has struggled with bipolar disorder and mania throughout his life. The past decade, he said, has been particularly challenging. He was smoking 50 cigarettes a day and abusing drugs and alcohol. He was sometimes homeless in Newcastle, Australia, living in hostels or at the Salvation Army. He alternated between going off his medications so he could work 60-hour weeks, and then going back on, which left him unable to work and pay his bills.
Both considered soccer a universal language., and 18 months later, the first Homeless World Cup was held in Graz, Austria. This year’s event includes 28 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams. Each team consists of eight players, and games are four-on-four and played in two seven-minute halves, with a one-minute halftime. Organizers say the week-long competition is intended for the homeless or those who have recently experienced homelessness, acknowledging that the terms are defined differently in various countries.
“This is probably the most inclusive sporting event, when it boils down to it,” Cann said. “Because it includes the most excluded people.” Jackson had left the shelter and secured housing and a job, when Wrightsman asked her if she would be interested in being nominated for the Homeless World Cup.
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