All Nations Football Festival

The All Nations Football Festival is an award winning project which began in 2001 as a means of using sport to help refugee communities to assimilate into life in the capital. It did this through the provision of a series of competitive structures which took groups of casual players on a journey from "jumpers for goalposts" football to the world of affiliated leagues. In doing so it helped to establish new football clubs which in turn became the focus for sporting activity within their own community.

Teams are invited to participate in a one day festival and an eight week summer league before taking the step to playing in the London Communities League, an affiliated league established in 2004 specifically to provide an opportunity for these teams. A series of training and education opportunities is provided to the clubs to give them all the experience they require to enable them to become fully fledged clubs.

Since 2001 over 200 teams have participated in the All Nations tournament and 51 teams have successfully completed a season in the London Communities Football League.

In 2002 the project won an FA Football Development Award for its work with minority ethnic groups.

For more details contact Jo McKenzie.