Our work
Find out more about the SCWC 2026 in North America.
Learn more about the Street Child Cricket World Cup.
During the Olympics in Rio we hosted Olympic-styled Games for street-connected young people.
We host a variety of programmes to empower the Young People sustainably.
About us
What have we achieved? And how do we measure it? Find out more.
Every child needs a legal identity, protection from violence and education.
The SCU Young Leaders bring about change in their communities and worldwide.
The SCU Ambassadors promote our mission globally.
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Street Child United in North America
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Support our work by becoming a volunteer for an upcoming event.
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Support 1.000.000 and 1 street children get legal identity by the World Cup 2026. Join the movement!
I once drove him from the airport to a gala dinner at the Emirates. Knowing he’d played at Highbury, I asked if he’d ever played at the Emirates. With a glint in his eye, he replied, “John, you are embarrassing yourself. I scored the first ever goal at the Emirates Stadium.” He reminded me of the match (Arsenal vs. Aston Villa, 2006).
Individuals connected to Arsenal have been incredibly generous, including Arsène Wenger and Gilberto Silva. Gilberto was with us throughout Brazil, and in Russia and Qatar too.
His own childhood story is that they were evicted from their home when his father lost his job. This experience gives him real empathy for street-connected young people.
I look forward to catching up later this year. Inshallah.
Volunteering is at the heart of our organisation
Street Child United began with four families volunteering at a street child organisation in South Africa, and volunteering has been at the heart of everything we’ve done ever since. At our core we’re essentially a five-a-side staff team that grows to about eleven-a-side in the build-up to a major event, and then, when the tournament begins, we are supported by 80 – 100 volunteers from all over the world.
Our volunteer training day at Emirates stadium
Last Saturday, Brian and Sue Whittaker gathered about 40 UK-based volunteers for training and induction at the Arsenal Hub at the Emirates Stadium in North London. Brian and Sue have done this for the last three Street Child World Cups, and I am always incredibly grateful for their service and dedication. There were about 30 new volunteers for Mexico 2026 and 15 returning from previous tournaments.
Arsenal have always been generous to us. We’ve held major fundraising dinners there, and the Arsenal Foundation supported a girls’ team (with Islington Independent Futures and Centrepoint) to attend Brazil 2014 and Russia 2018.
Jack Ferguson at the Foundation led those teams and always welcomes us to the Hub. It was great to be back, especially with Arsenal eight points clear at the top of the Premier League, and a few happy Gooners (Arsenal fans) among our Mexico 2026 volunteers.
Some volunteers understandably feel nervous about travelling to Mexico given the political situation in parts of the world. So at the end of the day, I made them a promise. Here’s what I said:
● They will be changed
● They won’t come back the same
● They will make great friends
● They will learn who they really are, and who they want to become
● They will be inspired by the street-connected young people and the extraordinary project leaders supporting them
● They will be asked to dance (Mexico loves celebrating with music and dancing)
● And we’ll take care of them, just as they’ll take care of all of us
Our board member, Jitesh Patel, joined the day, bringing his calm reassuring presence. Returning volunteers like Jitesh shared what a Street Child World Cup is really like.
I left feeling very excited about Mexico.
All volunteering spots for Mexico 2026 have been filled, but soon you can apply for Street Child Cricket World Cup, 2027!
The teams are preparing
The practical work continues…
As of 16 March 2026, our delegation numbers stand at:
They will be supported by 111 adult leaders.
Travel documentation is progressing steadily.
Passports needed
147 obtained / 270 needed
██████████████░░░░░░░░░░░░54% complete
Visas needed
24 obtained / 151 needed
██░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░16% complete
It is slow, careful work – but it is moving forward.
I was due in Doha this week to secure visas for teams from Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, but travel there isn’t possible right now.
Our thoughts are with friends in the Middle East. We continue to pray for peace.
Checking in with our volunteer board members
Most of our board members started out as volunteers themselves. This week I’ve been catching up with members of our board in person.
Alex White, our chair for the last 9 years, first volunteered with us in Brazil when he worked with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation. He later joined the Premier League Foundation, and is now its Chief Executive. He’s been a tremendous source of strength and wisdom to me for over a decade. Alex steps down this year after max terms, so we’ll soon search for a new Chair.
He plans to bring his wife and two children to Mexico.
“It’s a bit tricky, John. I’ll have to take the kids out of school, and I’m a governor there and my wife teaches there…but this will be my last World Cup as Chair, and I really want my family to experience it.”
We love you, Alex. Thank you for always going above and beyond.
I’m also catching up with:
● Kent Christian, who works closely with high-profile sports organisations and athletes, and helps us develop strategic partnerships.
● Malini Skandachanmugarasan, an immigration lawyer who’s volunteered at multiple World Cups. Thanks to Malini, no young person has ever missed one due to visas.
● Archie Kalyana, a talented filmmaker and diversity lead at BBC Sport, who has produced wonderful films about previous tournaments.
● Preeti Shetty, founder of the sport-for-development monitoring organisation Upshot. Preeti is also stepping down from the board this year.
Even when people step down, they rarely leave Street Child United entirely. They stay involved in new ways.
Yesterday was a real treat.
I joined Team Wales girls and boys at the Welsh FA headquarters in Pontyclun. Like Alex’s children, they loved their day off school for lunch and a tour of the facilities.
Former Wales/Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall joined us. He’s taken a special interest in young people from the valleys (Tredegar, Ebbw Vale, Abertillery). Welsh FA staff were in awe of this legend, but to the young people he was just another bloke.
Neville gave a powerful speech about representing Wales abroad and how proud he is of every one of them. He celebrated Blaenau Gwent Youth Services securing a place at the Street Child World Cup in Mexico City, and this being Wales’ first girls’ team.
There’s even more to Neville’s story.
He and his wife have fostered children. We spoke about other footballers doing the same. Fostering and adopting, to keep young people safe and secure their futures. All power to those who do it.
At the Welsh FA, I was reminded of Dr. Arun Midha’s words about Team Wales:
“Sending a team from Wales to the Street Child World Cup says a great deal about the sort of country we are – and the sort of country we aspire to be.”
For me, that is a country that welcomes others.
● A country built on genuine hospitality. ● A country of refuge. ● A country that invests in its young people. ● A country that sees every young person as an individual full of potential – with hopes and dreams waiting to be realised.
Thank you, Wales, for lending us 20 young people for Mexico 2026. They are all Somebody. And they will make your country proud.
From London to Mexico City to Pontyclun, it feels like the world is drawing a little closer. I can’t wait to share what happens next.
John