(Re)engaging marginalized groups through sport: The Homeless World Cup

Marginalized groups, such as those experiencing homelessness, are largely excluded from participation in, and the benefits provided by, sport programs and events. This study uses the case of the ‘Street Socceroos’, the Australian Homeless World Cup team, to argue that participation in sport can provide beneficial outcomes for participants, and through a process of (re)engagement, develop social capital. Drawing on interviews and observations with team members before and after the Homeless World Cup, this study found both intrinsic benefits of sport participation, and broader social capital outcomes. Although sport participation alone cannot account for these beneficial outcomes, this study demonstrates the role that sport programs can play in the (re-) engagement of marginalized people within the broader community.