On a sunny Sunday afternoon in early August, we were invited down to Clapham Common to be part of a fundraiser football tournament hosted by Terrible FC. The name seemed intriguing. It is much more common to find teams with more illustrious names such as ‘All Stars’, ‘Wanderers’, ‘Argyle’or ‘United’ so we weren’t sure what to expect.

With a membership group of over 2000 football players, they organise free football in the parks of London a weekly basis. As the description on their website says: “are you too intimidated to join a local Sunday League team or don’t want to fork out cash for five-a-side on astro turf? Fancy a relaxed kick about in the park?  Then this group is for you! We want to provide a place for people to play football where nobody is judged and nobody takes it too seriously.”

This inclusive philosophy aligns with our own at Football Beyond Borders. The idea that football should be an inclusive game that educates and motivates young people to achieve their goals irrespective of their background.

 We were pleasantly surprised by what we saw; over 8 teams playing in the tournament. There were no referees needed such was the amicable spirit of the game. In addition to this over £200 was raised for Football Beyond Borders, which will pay for two FBB participants to go on a football tour for the first time later in the month. 

As one of the organisers, Billy Beckett said: “Our Terrible FC Tournament raised £200 for Football Beyond Borders. We support FBB because we know how important football is for so many people, and that it can be such a powerful tool for giving young people confidence and helping them to feel part of a wider community. FBB embody the idea that football is as much about the team as it is about the sport. They bring people together through the beautiful game!”