Football for Hope Centre (20 Centres for 2010)

On 5 December 2009, FIFA officially launched the 1^st of 20 Football for Hope Centres for 2010 in Khayelitsha in Cape Town, South Africa.  Amongst a contingent of high profile guests including FIFA President Sepp Blatter, LOC Chairman Dr Danny Jordaan and Premier of the Western Cape Helen Zille, Premier of the Western Cape the centre was launch in a hive of local cultural activity.  The launch also marked the end of a week of fair-play football with national and international teams participating in a cultural exchange and interaction.

The centre's main goal is to use the power of the game of football for social development.  Community involvement and ownership play a vital role in the success and sustainability of the centres as it was built to strengthen local organizations with vital infrastructure.

Grassroot Soccer together with the City of Cape Town will assume the role to develop a programme of elements to be adapted and implemented according to local needs in the community and meet the objectives of the campaign.

Premier of the Western Cape, Ms Helen Zille with FIFA President Sepp Blatter at the launch

‘20 Centres for 2010’ is the official social responsibility campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.  As part of this campaign there are to be twenty centres built in disadvantaged areas across Africa that will tackle the issue of HIV/Aids in the community, serve as a platform to improve education and health levels and install an artificial soccer pitch where Grassroot Soccer will run HIV and Aids prevention education for youth.

The Football for Hope Centre is the first of these twenty centres and officially opened its doors in Khayelitsha, on the outskirts of Cape Town, on 5 December 2009. The Football for Hope Centre is run on behalf of Football for Hope by Grassroot Soccer and forms part of the City of Cape Town's urban regeneration programme for Khayelitsha.

The first six Football for Hope Centres will be constructed in South Africa, Namibia, Kenya, Ghana, Mali and Rwanda.

For more information on Football for Hope contact:
Grassroot Soccer, Inc
Tel: +27 21 426 5154
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.grassrootsoccer.org