Mini World Cup gives immigrants ‘a chance to make friends’

A MINI World Cup soccer tournament brought 150 players from 14 countries representing Cork’s rapidly growing immigrant community together for the first time over the weekend.

Saturday’s tournament was the first of its kind in the country and took place on the city’s northside.

It was designed to promote cultural integration and provide a support network for the city’s estimated 10,000 immigrants. Players were either working in Cork, or have asylum seeker or refugee status. Teams from Zimbabwe, Togo, Lithuania, Eritrea, Cameroon, Sudan, Somalia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Croatia, Cote d’Ivoire, and two from Poland took part.

Former factory worker, Edorh Kokou, 37, who left Togo in West Africa with his wife two years ago to seek asylum here, was among the players.

“I am not allowed work here so I stay in our house in Wilton quite a lot, from one week to the other. But this tournament gives me a chance to make friends. There should be more of it. The people of Cork are great,” he said.

Organised by the Cork Networking Committee (CNC), it is hoped similar events could be repeated in cities around the country. The Cork event will be held annually.

Poland, with the largest immigrant community in Cork at more than 4,000, swept the boards. A Carrigtwohill-based team won the cup while a city-based team came second. Carrigtwohill captain and goalkeeper, Rapel Schel, who kept a clean sheet, won player of the tournament.