Street footballers from all over the world meet in Berlin.

Will Afghanistan meet Turkey in the quarterfinal? Will the mixed Israeli/Palestinian team play Brazil for the world title? Almost anything is possible at the first street football world cup.

More than 200 street footballers in 24 teams will be dribbling and passing the ball at the streetfootballworld festival 06 from July 1 to 8 in Berlin.

A specially erected street football arena will hold 2,000 spectators. However, this mini-world cup competition involves much more than just the fun of the game: building team spirit, getting to know one another, exercising tolerance and fairness are the goals of this sporting festival.

Soccer is meant to build bridges. That’s why all the teams come from projects that are using sport as a means of countering violence, drugs, poverty or AIDS in their respective countries.

The tournament is being organized by Berlin-based streetfootballworld, the first international forum for street football. Some 60 street football groups are members of the network, which coordinates projects on all continents from the German capital.

Accessible in four languages, the website at www.streetfootballworld.org is the most important forum for regular contact. At their virtual “global pitch”, the projects report on their work, experts provide advice, and street footballers can build contacts with other players all over the world. Many of the players will be able to meet in person for the first time in Berlin.

The streetfootballworld project is supported by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Come, play and maybe win in Germany 2006

Further information: www.berlin-tourism.de

Source + Foto: Deutschland magazine www.magazine-deutschland.de