Uganda’s women crowned Homeless World Cup champions

While the Uganda Cranes prepare to revive their slim hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup, another national football team is toasting to winning their version of the global showpiece.

The 2025 Homeless World Cup concluded last week with Uganda’s women's team as champions, following a 6-0 demolition of nine-time winners Mexico in the final.

The competition held in Oslo attracted 500 players from 48 countries, and when the dust settled, Uganda and men’s champions Egypt had the last laugh.

Uganda’s display was all the more impressive as they also won the FIFPRO Fair Play Award, proving that sportsmanship and success can coexist.

“This is a momentous achievement for Uganda, Africa, and the Homeless World Cup,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “Their story shows the power of football to change lives and unite people.”

But what is the Homeless World Cup?

It is an annual association football tournament organized by the Homeless World Cup Foundation, a social organization that advocates the end of homelessness through the sport. The organization puts together an annual football tournament where teams of homeless people from various countries compete. The tournament was first held in 1999, and in 2008, it added a women's competition. From 2010 onwards, all tournaments have featured both men's and women's teams.

The number of homeless people in Uganda is not clear, but according to a 2023 UNDP report, the country has a housing deficit of 2.4m units. Uganda has 1.8m refugees and asylum seekers, while 600,000 people were internally displaced by natural disasters between 2008-2023.

Uganda’s women became only the third African side to lift the Homeless World Cup, after Kenya and South Africa. Uganda, who had Viola Namuddu, Cissy Nakato, Eva Nagaayi, Josephine Ndagire, Jemimah Twesigye, Stella Namisango, Sharifah Kitali, and Shadia Nambasa, were playing at the tournament for the first time since 2011.

Uganda finished top of their group, defeated India and Romania in the quarterfinals and semis respectively, before brushing aside Mexico in the final. The Oslo edition was the 20th of a tournament that champions social change through football, which saw Egypt become the first African champion of the men’s category following a 4-3 win. over Portugal in the final.