Touch Footy World Cup opens door to new communities

The inaugural Touch Footy World Cup has been run and won, with Haiti and Mexico winning both of their respective divisions.

Haiti defeated Great Britain to take out the Division 1 title, whilst Mexico defeated El Salvador in the Division 2 grand final.

The competing teams included Haiti, Mexico, El Salvador, Great Britain, Malawi, Netherlands, and the Philippines.

Played at Fawkner Park in Melbourne, the tournament was delayed 12 months due to the onset of the Covid pandemic. Despite the wet and at times freezing conditions, it was a great day and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

AFI CEO Brian Clarke explained that the Touch Footy World Cup had been created to open the door to new communities.

“We have been running the Harmony Cup for many years and it has been very successful. However, the large number of players required, plus the physical nature of the event, has precluded many communities in Melbourne from participating. As a result we created the Touch Footy World Cup to allow those communities to play footy by removing the barriers of participation.”

AFI wishes to acknowledge the support of the City of Melbourne for their invaluable assistance in making the event possible.