SBS - The World Game
As Australia’s multicultural public broadcaster with a strong focus on sport, SBS was a proud partner of the 2008 Melbourne Homeless World Cup. Following the event SBS have continued their association with The Big Issue’s Community Street Soccer Program showcasing their commitment to the development of football at a grass roots level and promoting sport as a catalyst for changing lives.
The Community Street Soccer Program values participation, inclusiveness, equality and acceptance.
SBS celebrates difference and promotes understanding.
Street Soccer and The World Game
The World Game is a comprehensive, influential and entertaining football program hosted each Sunday by SBS sport presenter and commentator, David Basheer and former Socceroo, SBS Chief Football Analyst and Ambassador of The Big Issue Craig Foster.
A talented and passionate team of reporters work around the clock to bring all the latest news, stories and issues in world football to The World Game.
Leveraging off the success of the 2008 Melbourne Homeless World Cup SBS continues to work closely with The Big Issue in profiling the work of the Community Street Soccer Program across Australia.
Homeless World Cup
SBS provided strong and targeted coverage in the lead up to, and during, the 2008 Melbourne Homeless World Cup. The involvement of high profile football identities and Homeless World Cup ambassadors, Les Murray and Craig Foster, provided credible and insightful coverage to Australian football fans. The Homeless World Cup final was broadcast live to a national audience providing one hour of dedicated coverage and highlights from the tournament on Sunday 7 December.
Ambassadors
The Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup attracted a great amount of support including that of high profile football identities Les Murray and Craig Foster.
Football to me transcends colour, race or creed. I have witnessed football’s influence and impact on the lives of people from all around the world, from the beaches of Brazil to the centre stage at the FIFA World Cup.
Through my role as Ambassador of the Melbourne 2008 Homeless World Cup, I have now experienced firsthand the incredible energy and power of The Big Issue’s Community Street Soccer Program. As football continues to grow in Australia, so too should an initiative such as this, giving homeless and marginalised Australians the opportunity to experience my beloved game, and change their lives in a positive and long-lasting way.
I get behind The Big Issue’s Community Street Soccer Program and I urge the rest of Australia to do so too.
Les Murray, Football Commentator SBS and 2008 Melbourne Homeless World Cup Ambassador.
Football is the biggest sport and the common language of the world, the one sport that brings everyone together. It makes us great friends and gives us incredible memories.Football is also a conduit through which marginalised and disadvantaged people, often without hope and in an awful cycle of negativity, can find a path to a new life. They meet others and start to interact, they build meaningful friendships which are necessary to have something to live for, and they find the simple pleasure of playing football is something which they can rely on, which sustains them, brings positive benefits all through their life, and begins the long process of rehabilitation. No other game has this power.
Craig Foster, Former Socceroo, SBS Chief Football Analyst and Ambassador of The Big Issue