South Africa hosts second World Cup Soccer

The 2006 street soccer world cup to be held in Cape Town South Africa

South Africa will host the 2006 Homeless Street Soccer World Cup, an annual event that attracts teams from across the world.

In 2003 and 2004 South Africa sent teams made up of members of the soccer team of Big Issue, a monthly magazine produced by journalists and sold by homeless and unemployed people to generate income.

The magazine, member of the International Network of Street Papers, has put over R8 million (±1 million euro) into the pockets of homeless South Africans.

In 2004, when the event was held in Sweden, the Big Issue team finished eighth.

"Hosting the 2006 tournament will be good for The Big Issue, good for the team and good for the country," said James Garner, the editor of the magazine.

"It will do much to draw attention to issues of poverty."

(source: International Network of Street Papers / 18 August 2004)