Cape Town in Numbers

The Cape Town 2006 Homeless World Cup in Figures

The fourth Homeless World Cup has now ended with Russia overpowering newcomers Kazakhstan in an entertaining final on Cape Town’s Grand Parade.

The two finalists may have surprised some people but this was a tournament of shocks. 

Of the 26 teams ranked from last year’s event in Edinburgh only two (Poland and Russia) made it to the final stage of the Homeless World Cup Trophy. Mexico, making their tournament debut, finished in fourth place.

In clocking up 14 wins throughout the seven days of competition Russia won more games than any other team. Kazakhstan managed an impressive 12 wins and fellow debutants Liberia also secured a dozen victories. 

Over 300 games were played producing a staggering amount of goals. Fans were treated to over 1800 goals – meaning an average (not including the excitement of penalty shoot-outs) of more than six goals per match.

As every game at the Homeless World Cup must have a winner matches that are tied at full time go to a sudden-death shoot-out. 124 goals were scored in these shoot-outs in Cape Town. 

In total the 48 nations (a Homeless World Cup record) were represented by 496 players. As temperatures soared the players consumed 12000 litres of water and 10000 bananas during the event.

270 volunteers stepped forward to help the Homeless World Cup in Cape Town – over 120 of them were on duty every day. 

And the volunteers were needed to make sure that everything ran smoothly – the eyes of the world were on Cape Town as 250 members of the international media descended on Grand Parade. The press pack included South Africa’s SABC who showed the final live on television – another Homeless World Cup first.

Incredible statistics from an incredible tournament. But for Russia only one fact matters: Russia, Homeless World Cup Champions 2006.

 

Roll on Copenhagen 2007!