Competition is underway in the 10th annual Homeless World Cup, taking place in Mexico City.
The opening day of play drew 20,000 spectators to cheer on 500 homeless players from 54 countries, according to Street News Service (SNS).
The tournament has come a long way since it was founded a decade ago in Graz, Austria, organizers said. The numbers of teams have increased every year, a women’s competition has been added and -with a growing number of high profile players, sponsors and ambassadors on board – the event has been credited with building an international reputation, SNS reported.
The venue for this year’s tournament is the Zócalo, the main plaza in the heart of the city also known as Plaza de la Constitución, where three street-soccer stadiums have been specially built. The games are scheduled to conclude Oct 14.
Fans can tune into the action live at the Homeless World Cup website:
