STREET FOOTBALL WALES (SFW) could be forced to close its doors in less than two weeks.
For the people it serves, that doesn’t just mean the loss of a football programme – it means the loss of safety, belonging, and hope.
Right now, 61% of SFW players have no other support. No access to housing services. No connection to health support. No pathway to employment. For them, Street Football Wales isn’t an activity – it is their only lifeline.
And if urgent funding isn’t secured, that lifeline will be cut.
The charity must raise £15,000 by the end of April, with £6,500 still urgently needed, simply to survive.
And the consequences of closure would be devastating.
- 97% of players say their mental health would deteriorate if SFW disappears
- 86% believe their physical health would suffer
- More than half expect a significant loss of self-esteem and self-worth
Behind these numbers are real people, people like Mercedes who said: “Street Football Wales got me out of my darkest hole, where I didn’t feel appreciated – or even wanted.”
This is not an isolated story. It is the reality for hundreds across Wales who have found stability, purpose, and community through SFW. Without it, many risk being pushed back into isolation, crisis, and invisibility.
SFW is now on the brink – but its impact will reach far beyond survival.
As the official Welsh partner of the Homeless World Cup, the charity offers players a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to represent their country on a global stage. If it can stay open, Wales could send both men’s and women’s teams to the 2026 Homeless World Cup in Mexico… For many, that opportunity is transformational.
Former player and current coach Wayne Ellaway represented Wales in the 2015 Amsterdam tournament. He then went to the 2018 Mexico tournament as a volunteer coach – a tournament during which he met his now wife. Now he is set to return as a staff member for SFW to coach the men’s team for HWC, alongside North Wales SFW staff member Stephen Falvey, who represented Wales at the HWC 2023 in Sacramento. Wayne has a chance for a full circle moment this year, as long as SFW still exists.
He shared: “Before Street Football Wales, I was living in a homeless hostel. I felt excluded from society – lost. The Homeless World Cup became the absolute pinnacle of my life. Everyone deserves that chance.”
And the evidence could not be more clear:
- 77% of players say the tournament changed their lives
- 55% go on to secure employment, housing, or education
Momentum is building towards something truly great. Just last year, the SFW women’s team achieved a historic 7th place finish out of 24 nations at the 2025 Homeless World Cup in Oslo.
But without urgent funding, there will be no next chapter. No Mexico. No team. No second chances. No hope.
Bethan Thomas, Interim Director of Street Football Wales, commented: “If we don’t reach our £15,000 target by the end of April, we risk losing the very community that keeps our players safe, healthy, and seen.
“We urgently need the public’s support to keep this lifeline alive.”
This is the moment. Without immediate action, Street Football Wales will cease to exist – and with it, a critical support system for some of the most vulnerable people in the community.
Donate now and help keep hope alive. Save Hope. Save Street Football Wales.
Visit the Save Our Season – Street Football Wales Crowdfunder page for more information and to make a donation.
