The homeless world cup’s global family’s generation game
Isobel Irvine (in red, HWC volunteer writer) at the Sacramento 2023 Homeless World Cup interviewing our Homeless World Cup referees (who are also volunteers)
The Homeless World Cup Foundation and the tournament is often referred to as the Global Family – a coming together of people from all over the world with the same aims, hopes and work ethics. Last year, at the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup, however, we discovered a global family in the more literal sense, working together on the ground to challenge perceptions and transform lives.
Feature by Isobel Irvine (volunteer writer) and mum of Molly (social media volunteer) from Scotland and New Zealand who were both in Seoul for the tournament.
Isobel spoke to those in Seoul who had a family connection:
Hyejin Yi and daughter Yoonhui Lee, from Seoul, working as team guides for Uganda:
Earlier this year local school teacher Hyejin Yi was scanning the local news when she spotted an advert for someone who could speak English to help at a sporting event in her home city.
“I didn’t really know what to expect,” she admits, “but I know already I have made friends for life.
Mother and daughter in Seoul
“The day I arrived, I met some players from the US – I once lived there for three years – and they were from North Carolina. I recognised one as someone I knew when I worked there 15 years ago. I was so surprised as the world is so big but we already had a link!”
After being assigned as guide to the team from Uganda, and learning more about the tournament, Hyejin embraced her new role.
“They only have six players, which is great, as I feel comfortable with a small group and I can remember all their names,” she laughs. “I spend time listening to them, how they’re feeling, and I can introduce Korea to them.”
Very quickly she was also able to introduce her daughter to the team, too.
“I wanted to give Yoonhui the chance to enjoy this global festival too, that it would be good to experience this together, and as the schools are on holiday, she would be able to join me here to help,” she continues.
“This is the first time either of us have ever done anything like this and everyone has been so nice. The team came here as guests of Korea but I feel as if they are inviting us into their country of Uganda. They are amazing, so welcoming, with beautiful words.”
While Hyejin ensures the players get safely to and from the event, to their matches on time, and deals with their everyday questions, Yoonhui has been making banners, lending her vocal support with ‘Uganda go-go-go', helping translate and even assisting their travels.
“One day the team wanted to return to their accommodation before their bus was due to arrive, so I took them on the metro,” Yoonhui explains. “They would ask ‘how many more stops’ and I would tell them, and they began to call me ‘boss’. So now they ask ‘where is our boss?’ each morning when they arrive at the University!’
“All the other volunteers have welcomed me, and it’s also made me see my mum in a different way. It has shown me that we are good people who can help other people.
“And I’m also enjoying the football,” she adds. “I used to play as goalkeeper at school when I was very young, and we had a girls’ team.”
Hyejin teaches at the same school as her daughter, so is also on a holiday break, and is equally loving this unexpected shared experience.
“It’s time to enjoy a great adventure together,” she says. “We have made a programme for the team to experience more of the city as they are here for a few days after the tournament before they go home. We will be their guide for that time too – and will be at the airport to say our goodbyes.”
Stephen and daughter Maisie Hawkins, from Liverpool, working with the sport and competition team:
“I started volunteering for the organisation back in 2006,” explains dad Stephen, “when I used to help out with the local trials then in 2011, when the event was in Paris, I went along to watch, got involved and have been an international volunteer ever since.
“My passions are football and helping people who are vulnerable, so combining these are great. I don’t play football like I used to any more, so why not enable others to play?”
Stephen can’t quite remember how many international and national events he’s volunteered for now - “Covid messed up the calculations!” - but he can remember when daughter Maisie voiced an interest in what he was doing.
“Every year!” he laughs. “When I’d be leaving to go to a tournament, Maisie would be ‘Can I come, dad?’ But she was too young. Then in 2017, when she turned 17 and the tournament was in Oslo, she was of an age to be insured so came along.”
Is it cool to work along her dad? “Cool for me, probably not for her! I just say to her, particularly after the pandemic, you just go off and do what you want to do, you don’t have to stick with me – enjoy life, create experiences – but she’s travelled with me as a volunteer every year since the oslo 2017 homeless world cup.
“This is our fifth tournament together now – dad and daughter time – to experience this together is really special.”
Stephen and Masie at the Oslo 2025 Homeless World Cup
Cue Maisie, who takes a few minutes out of her work pitchside, making sure the games run smoothly, to remember that first tournament in Oslo.
“It was a bit daunting as you’re in the public eye, being watched by spectators, all the supporters cheering around you,” she recalls, “but I quickly felt excited to be part of it. Everything’s so fast-paced and the matches go really quickly. I particularly like Finals Day, where everyone comes together and supports each other.
“At the end of the matches, too, it’s great to see everyone come together, shaking each other’s hands, win or lose – a great environment.
After watching her dad volunteer each year, Maisie joined him in Oslo, ensuring the games run to schedule, that the teams are briefed and looked after.
“I love taking part and really look forward to this every year,” she continues. “I work in sport – I recently graduated with a degree in sport – and seeing the impact this makes is so different to the commercial world that you see on TV.
“It’s not often you get together for a sporting event for the good of people, rather than medals or money.”
And experiencing the Homeless World Cup with her Dad, Stephen, she emphasises, makes it even better.
“It’s great to travel with my dad. Back home we’re busy now with our own lives so it’s good to be able to work alongside each other like this and make memories together – it's like a family tradition now.”
John Baize, Founder of Act Global and daughter Madeline, from the USA:
Starting the business in 2004, after working in the industry as a financial controller, John aimed for Act Global to be lauded for two things: technical excellence, with player safety a priority; and being a good corporate citizen.
“Your business should reflect certain values, it should have a purpose, or else don’t start it,” he underlines. Now operating in 90 countries, John and Act Global remain true to that vision with their long-standing, wholehearted support of Homeless World Cup.
“We arrived on Monday and have been watching the matches here every day,” enthuses John. “Act Global were introduced to Homeless World Cup through Detroit Street Soccer, when we donated turf for one of their events.
“When HWC were looking for turf suppliers we met, exchanged ideas and expressed the most interest, in terms of how the tournament actually help the homeless,” he continues.
“For us, it was less about the business metrics and more about our engagement – how HWC actually impacts the world and makes a real difference to the lives of homeless people – and since that conversation we’ve been hooked!”
John has been to most of the tournaments since in person, while various work colleagues have been in attendance each year, and is thoroughly enjoying introducing recent-business graduate daughter Madeline to the experience.
“Dad and I have taken some trips together, to Canada and within the US, some trips to our factory, but this is my first time at Homeless World Cup,” Madeline continues.
“I did my high school internship with the business and got to go into the office in elementary and middle school – I begged dad to let me go in as his assistant manager! – but outside that we won’t be working together now I’ve graduated college.
“I love that Act Global has a mission like this – it's been great to learn from those points of principal while I was growing up, with my dad talking about how much he cares about this organisation.
“Everything’s so positive – that's my biggest takeaway – the environment, the energy, you can feel the warmth.”
John with his daughter Madeline at the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup
Helping build that energy on the ground – literally – Act Global have risen to the challenge of supplying a bespoke surface for the tournament year on year.
“The number one challenge with synthetic turf is that we don’t have water flowing through the grass blades,” John explains, “so we have procedures in place that can hold that moisture.
"In the case of HWC the challenge is also getting a world-class surface that can mimic natural turf performance and can pass FIFA testing for natural grass performance – while also being a surface that, as soon as the tournament is over, we can roll up and move on to the next year’s location. We have to strike that balance.
“A typical pitch will last about ten years,” he continues. “With HWC it’s so important, when you have players performing from round the world, that they will get a turf that’s either brand new or just gently used, as they deserve to experience world class level performance, so the turf we supply here is only used for HWC.”
The turf is also a unique size, custom made for the tournament, and is only used by HWC for a maximum of three weeks.
“I’ve noticed this year that the footing has been really secure, you can see good traction – we want the players to be fired up and let them just play and enjoy themselves.”
Stewart Lochrie and son Kai Hoo-Lochrie from Streetball and SoccerTop.com:
The Streetball and Soccertop.com team at the Sacramento 2023 Homeless World Cup (Stewart in the middle and Kai to Stewart’s left)
“We normally work together,” begins Kai, “though last year was our first time attending the tournament. We took a Route 66 10-day road trip to get to Sacramento 2023 – an amazing experience to do as father and son.”
Dad Stewart continues, “The event itself was mind-blowing so there was no question we weren’t coming back this year. We all love what it stands for.”
Having sold his original business in Scotland, Stewart began Soccer Tops (selling retro and ‘street’ range soccer jerseys) specifically because he wanted to do something with his sons - “because they love football this made perfect sense, the passion’s already there and you can build on that when you’re doing something you love.”
Kai has worked with his dad since he was old enough to be employed, and best friends Ethan and Evan have been part of the business for a number of years, too.
“There’s no real downside to working with my dad as he’s just a big kid at heart! And if we’re not happy with something we’re all quite open with each other and can talk it through,” he says.
“These guys are very much the future,” adds Stewart, “not just of our business but of our relationship with this tournament. Mel [Young, HWC co-founder] has a good relationship with the boys and they enjoy being here.
“We’re keen to work with countries to help those more disadvantaged with their kit, and we’re all active in raising funds all year. In fact, we recently did something called Worlds United, a virtual 5k run event where you wear your football top to represent your club and it’s a ‘world united’ in football for homelessness.”
Enrique Alvarez, MD at Vector Global Logistics and son Enrique from Atlanta, USA
“Our logistics company ship products all over the world but for us, it’s not just about the logistics – it's more about what we do with the company we have,” explains Enrique. “Where possible, we’re donating to different causes and HWC is one of our favourite organisations.”
Having met HWC co-founder Mel Young four years ago, their shared passion for football led to the current partnership, and continued support in person at tournaments.
“It’s really about being inspired by everyone who’s here. We try to help as much as we can, as a business, but in reality it’s talking, hanging out, sharing in the football experience with everyone who participates in this event.
“It’s so inspiring and keeps me going.”
Enrique and Enrique Jr at the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup
For son, Enrique, it’s not only his first experience of Homeless World Cup but, “It’s the first time dad and I have travelled together, just the two of us, without the rest of the family. It’s a different type of trip, just really special, with the backdrop of Homeless World Cup, and I’m enjoying it a lot; it’s really an eye-opening experience.
“Dad and I are both big soccer fans – we love Barcelona and we’re huge Messi fans!”
They were both delighted to have the opportunity to spend time with the Mexico team, too.
“We were hanging out with them and they invited us to join them for dinner,” dad Enrique adds. “The coaches were telling us about the huge development programme they have behind them – they're able to start with 25,000 players from which they select the team. Imagine being the 16 players here [men’s and women’s teams] out of a pool of 25,000!”
While here, both have made it their mission to try to talk to every player at the tournament.
“We’ve heard so many heartbreaking stories. These guys are so deserving – yes, they play hard to win, but they’re here for bigger reasons. They come here to forget, a little bit, about conditions back home, to make new friends and improve their lives.
“Our company is 100% behind this relationship,” he continues. “We operate in the US, Mexico, Chile and Peru – all soccer-loving countries – and I feel that using something like soccer to change an issue as important as homelessness is very smart.”
Sisters Monica and Angelique Ibarra Rodriguez (HWC staff member and volunteer) from Edinburgh and Mexico.
Siblings Moni and Angie have enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Homeless World Cup, starting over a decade ago and spanning the globe.
“I was first involved in the 2012 tournament, organising the volunteers for the local committee in Mexico, then took on the same role in 2018 when the event returned to Mexico City,” Moni explains.
“...and that year she invited me to join as a team guide,” Angie adds. “I remember how enthusiastic Moni was about the event in 2012 and so was our mum, who had also volunteered to help at the players’ lunch tent.
Monica (right) at the Sacramento 2023 Homeless World Cup
“It was great fun as I was appointed team guide for the Welsh side – I was able to handle the accent because I’d watched a lot of TV shows where the characters were from Wales!”
At the time, elder sister Moni was working for a sports company involved in a marketing role at both 2012 and 2018 events, so carried out her volunteering role on top of that.
“I was happy to do it as I really enjoyed the tournament – it gives so much – but they were very busy weeks,” she laughs.
Angie at the Seoul 2024 Homeless World Cup in her volunteer photography role
This time round, Moni is completely taken up with tournament organisation as she now works for the Homeless World Cup Foundation in Edinburgh, while Angie is a full-time photographer back in Mexico – a role she also took on in Seoul, capturing images of the players, back-room teams and supporters.
“It’s been a cool experience to volunteer doing something I love,” she says, “though it’s very different from the regular work I do, so very challenging. Now that Moni lives abroad, it’s also a good chance for us to see each other, too.”
Adding to the family vibe, the girls’ parents have also travelled to Seoul from Mexico to support the tournament.
“Last year they came to Sacramento and loved it so much that they followed us here, too!” adds Moni.
“You can’t really appreciate how much this event touches people’s lives until you’re part of it. Now I have the perspectives of local organisers, international volunteers and of being part of the organisation so I can appreciate the challenges that everyone faces to make sure this amazing event continues.”
The Homeless World Cup is a world class sporting spectacle which has the power to change the lives of participants and shape attitudes towards the global issue of homelessness, using the universal language of football.
To keep across all Oslo 2025 news and announcements please follow the Homeless World Cup Foundation on social media as we build up to the tournament taking place in a month from now.