Tanzania kicks off debut with silver at Oslo Cup

OSLO: PICTURE this: a bunch of scrappy, fearless young women from Arusha, Tanzania, stepping onto the pitch in Oslo, Norway, eyes blazing with purpose and walking away with a jawdropping second place at the 2025 Homeless World Cup. No, this is not the plot of a Hollywood underdog film.

It is real and it is absolutely inspiring. From August 22 to 30, 2025, the world watched as 60 teams here-each representing marginalised youth battled it out in this unique global football tournament. Held in Oslo, the event brought together 60 teams from 48 countries, each with stories that go far beyond the final whistle.

Here, the women’s team from Future Stars Academy in Arusha made their debut appearance and what an entrance it was.

They clinched the runner-up spot in the second-tier final with a thrilling 5–4 victory over Austria. Goals flew in from Loyce Dismas, Susan Michael, Varian Issa and Sarah Jacob, each strike a declaration that Tanzania had arrived.

On the winners’ side were the overall women’s champions from Uganda, outperforming Romania in the top-tier final. Kenya secured third place, defeating Mexico in the third-tier showdown. In the men’s competition, Egypt emerged as champions, while Portugal and Poland took second and third in their respective tiers. Notably, Tanzania did not have a men’s team this year, maybe next time!

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Think of a regular World Cup and shrink it way down. The Homeless World Cup features four-a-side teams (three outfielders plus a goalkeeper) and kicks off with a group-stage format: 1st-place teams go into the top-tier second rounds; 2ndplace teams move to the second tier; 3rd-place teams end up in the third tier. From there, they fought it out in their tiers until the finals.

The top-tier winner was crowned champion; the second-tier winner like Tanzania earned the runnerup title; and the third-tier winner took third overall. Again, the streamlined teams did not just save on shampoo-they made every pass and goal count.

This was not casual the Friday: It was high-stakes, high pressure, high-heart, where every second mattered.

This tournament was not just about the goals or cheering crowds (though those were awesome). It was about transformation.

According to the Homeless World Cup Foundation, the event supports more than 100,000 disadvantaged youth each year; has positively transformed 1.2 million lives since its 2003 inception; empowers participants to rebuild selfesteem and community ties through the universal language of football. Again, imagine a kid who thought their only talents were disappearing into the crowd.

Then they get to wear a jersey, score a goal and maybe change how thousands if not millions view them and others like them.

The tournament also runs initiatives year-round, like Football to Protect Vulnerable Women, to provide safe, empowering alternatives for young women at risk So yes, Tanzania’s team played with only four players and no substitutes. Talk about endurance. Yet they managed to wave the Tanzanian flag high and proud.

This feat didn’t go unnoticed. Ambassador Mobhare Matinyi, who represents Tanzania in the Nordic, Baltic and Ukraine regions sent a special shout-out. He praised the team for their “outstanding performance,” especially given their tight squad.

Diplomatic manners aside, it was the global equivalent of a standing ovation. Here’s the plot twist: this was Tanzania’s firstever appearance at the Homeless World Cup. And they walked away with the silver trophy. That is a debut for the history books.

Next stop? Mexico, where the tournament will be hosted in 2026. If what just happened in Oslo is anything to go by, Tanzania’s future performances may cause fans to say, “Remember when they first showed up? Incredible.” In a nutshell, football is like a vehicle for social change.

The Homeless World Cup leverages sport to give marginalised youth hope, community and purpose. For opportunity and access. Tanzania’s performance shows that with belief and opportunity; remarkable things happen even on a tight squad. For visibility and narrative shift.

These are not invisible lives or invisible talents. They’re athletes, leaders, innovators on and off the pitch. For momentum for systemic change. This is not the end it is fuel for more inclusive programmes, investments and local champions.