Muslim Hands is delighted to welcome the Pakistan Street Child Football Team to the UK following their inspiring participation in the prestigious Norway Cup 2025 from 23rd July to 3rd August – one of the world’s largest youth football tournaments.

During their visit on Friday 15th August, the team will face Aston Villa Foundation’s Post-16 Education Team, comprising of aspiring young footballers, in an exciting invite-only fixture at the Aston Villa Inner-City Academy, located a stones-throw away from Villa Park.
The visit will be a part of the Spirit of Pakistan Week, an opportunity for Birmingham to celebrate its diverse culture and the enduring legacy of its diaspora communities.

Councillor Waseem Zaffar MBE and Chair of Spirit of Pakistan said: ‘I’ve been able to visit many Muslim Hand projects in Pakistan and see their outstanding work and its impact first hand. We are looking forward to welcoming their team to Birmingham to play against the Aston Villa Foundation’s Post-16 Squad. It’s a particular highlight for me during the Spirit of Pakistan festival.’

The UN estimates there to be over 100 million children living on the streets worldwide. Representing some of the most marginalised youth in Pakistan, the Muslim Hands Street Child team has been selected through a nationwide grassroots initiative under Muslim Hands’ flagship Sports for Development programme, which works with street-connected and out-of-school children to provide structured football training, education, life skills and safe spaces.

'This game is more than football. It’s about giving a voice to children who’ve experienced deprivation, marginalisation and exclusion,’ explains Arslan Nusrat, Director of Global Operations at Muslim Hands. ‘Through sport, we show that talent, dignity and dreams have no postcode, and that football is just the beginning. Through this programme we have so far obtained birth certificates, granting crucial access to healthcare, education and other basic rights for over 65,000 children and enrolled over 100,000 children in school.’
Muslim Hands will also host key fundraising and advocacy events during the UK leg from 3rd August – 20th August, with coordinated media campaigns to raise awareness of the four pillars of the campaign; Right to Play, Right to Education, Right to Identity & Right to Dream.'

17 year-old Kashif Shinwari, part of Team Pakistan said: ‘When I was in fifth grade, I had to drop out of school and start working in a hotel to make ends meet for my family. Whilst I worked, I would get three hours off per day and my love of football would shine through during these hours. One of the previous players of the Pakistan team saw my talent and suggested I take part in the upcoming trials. For Norway World Cup 2024 I was in the top 15 out of 100 children to be selected. During the tournament I scored eight goals, became top scorer and we just missed out on the semi-finals. There is a lot of talent in Pakistan, it’s the shortage of facilities for children to reach their potential. I will keep working and training hard so that I make it to the Pakistan National Team.’

Andrew Coley, Further & Higher Education Manager at the Aston Villa Foundation said: 'We at the Aston Villa Foundation are pleased to welcome Muslim Hands and the Pakistan Street Child Football Team to the inspirational Aston Villa Inner-City Academy facility, to play our Post-16 Squad. An integral part of the Foundation’s strategic function is to build connections and support the development and growth of young people in the areas surrounding Villa Park, with this opportunity giving our young players the chance to connect with and learn from the experiences of other players from across the world.'

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Notes to editor:
• Founded in 1993, Muslim Hands is an international relief and development NGO working in over 30 countries.
• Its work spans education, livelihoods, healthcare, water, and child protection.
• Maidaan, its football-based youth development programme is part of its 11-years of working with street-connected children. The team have reached thousands of children across Pakistan and Maidaan is the official platform for Team Pakistan at the Street Child World Cup and other global tournaments.
• Confirmed matches as part of UK tournament and partnered with Street Child United include upcoming friendlies against Leeds United, Luton, Nottingham and Aston Villa Foundation, in August and that they can contact us if they are interested in knowing more
For media enquiries, interviews or access to case studies, images and video content, please contact:
Press & Media Contacts
• Sahirah Javaid – Senior Press officer
Email: sahirah.javaid@muslimhands.org.uk
• Tijen Horoz – Communications Manager
Email: tijen.horoz@muslimhands.org.uk
• Ranya Shirbini – Digital Marketing Manager
Email: ranya.shirbini@muslimhands.org.uk

About the Aston Villa Foundation
The Aston Villa Foundation is a registered charity (number 1152848) that delivers the community and charity work of Aston Villa Football Club. Over the last 35 years, Aston Villa’s community work has continued to cater to the needs of residents, community members and fans, laying the important foundations for Aston Villa’s presence in the local community today.

We work with children, young people and young adults both within the immediate areas surrounding Villa Park and the wider Birmingham population, providing a holistic landscape of opportunities to support them on their life journey. Through our three key strategic functions of Delivering, Connecting and Supporting, we share a drive for the Foundation to be seen as excellent, collaborative and innovative, with the ambition to be seen as an outstanding social impact charity.

In all we do, we follow our mission statement of 'Working together to Enrich Lives.'

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