Children playing a football match on a dusty field in a South African township

Khayelitsha, Cape Town

Free football
for kids who
love the game.

A non-profit football academy for 20 children aged 9 to 12 in Khayelitsha. Training, tournaments and gear – free for the kids and their school.

Players
20
Years old
9–12
Training a week
2×
Cost
R0

About

Football gives kids friends, confidence and a place to belong. But club fees, boots and kits add up, and not every family can afford them.

Samba Street brings that chance to Khayelitsha, one of the largest townships in South Africa. Together with a local school, we give a group of kids the chance to train properly and play as a team, at no cost to anyone.

Children playing on the pitch of the Football for Hope Centre in Khayelitsha
Football for Hope Centre, Khayelitsha.
Portrait of a smiling boy
A girl dribbling a ball on a football pitch surrounded by houses in Khayelitsha
Training on a pitch in Khayelitsha.

How it works

  1. We partner with one primary school.
  2. Kids aged 9 to 12 at that school can sign up.
  3. We select 20 players.
  4. They train twice a week, play tournaments and get all the gear they need.

What we provide

Everything a young player needs. Nothing for the family to pay.

Kids playing football together on a sunny field
01

Training

Two sessions a week, focused on skills, creativity and playing as a team.

A youth match on a dusty pitch, the goalkeeper ready in goal
02

Tournaments

Throughout the year we enter the team in tournaments, so they get to play real matches.

Bare feet gathered around a worn football
03

Gear

Every player gets the kit and gear they need to train and play.

Now looking for

A partner school.

Are you a primary school that would like to offer your students free football training? We'd love to hear from you.