Children playing a football match on a dusty field in a South African township

Free football
for kids who
love the game.

Samba Street is a non-profit football academy in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. We give kids aged 9–12 the chance to train, compete and grow through football.

Players
20
Years old
9–12
Training a week
2×
Cost
R0

About

Football builds confidence, teaches teamwork and gives kids a place to belong. But club fees, boots and kits add up, and not every family can afford them.

Samba Street brings that opportunity to Khayelitsha, Cape Town. Working alongside a local school, we provide a structured football programme where kids can develop their skills, represent their team and enjoy the game together, at no cost to them or their families.

Children playing on the pitch of the Football for Hope Centre in Khayelitsha
Portrait of a smiling boy
A girl dribbling a ball on a football pitch surrounded by houses in Khayelitsha

How it works

  1. We partner

    We team up with one local primary school and build the academy together, drawing on the school's knowledge of its pupils and the community.

  2. We build a team

    Kids aged 9–12 at the school can sign up, and we select a first group of 20 players. From day one, they train and play as one team.

  3. We develop

    The team trains twice a week and tests itself in tournaments. Along the way, kids build confidence, discipline and a sense of belonging.

What we provide

A youth team running a drill together on a dirt pitch
01

Training

Two sessions a week, focused on skills, creativity and playing as a team.

A youth match on a dusty pitch, the goalkeeper ready in goal
02

Tournaments

Opportunities to represent the team, compete against other teams and put their training into practice.

A smiling boy in a blue football kit pulling up his socks before playing
03

Gear

Every player gets the kit and gear they need to train and play.

Now looking for

A partner school.

Are you a primary school that would like to offer your students free football training? We'd love to hear from you.