This piece has been prepared by Migrants Organise volunteer, Jannah Elgamal, and explores how football has brought people seeking sanctuary in the UK to feel a sense of solidarity, community and strength.
“Every week in a tucked-away corner of London, a group of Migrants Organise lace up their shoes and gather for something more than a game.
Most of them are people seeking asylum staying at confined temporary accommodation and navigating uncertain futures.
But for a few hours, they are all teammates. On this patch of grass, football isn’t just a sport—it’s a language, a release, and sometimes, a reminder of home.
There’s joy in the simplicity of it. You don’t need fluent English or a residence permit to pass a ball. There’s no form to fill out to make a run or cheer for a goal. For many members, this weekly match is one of the few spaces that feels light, free from the paperwork, waiting rooms, and heavy labels of asylum.
In a world that often sees them as case numbers, here they are simply fans, players, and friends. One member always wears his team’s jersey, another never misses a match despite juggling appointments and stress. Some knew each other before arriving; others connected through their shared love of football. Two strangers found out they were both Chelsea fans—and now play side by side.
Football is more than a distraction; it’s a space to breathe. In asylum accommodation, there’s often no room to move, let alone run. On the field, there’s movement, rhythm, agency. The game becomes a form of resistance, a reminder that joy, too, is essential.
The football group is not just about scoring goals. It’s about showing up. It’s about creating moments of normality and laughter when everything else feels uncertain. It’s a reminder that even in displacement, community can be rebuilt—one pass at a time.”
Read more about the Migrants Organise Resilience Festival 2025.
