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Each year on June 20, the world recognizes World Refugee Day — a moment to honor the strength, resilience and rights of people who have been forced to flee their homes to escape conflict, persecution and natural disasters. In 2025, the challenges they face are increasingly urgent. Amid ongoing conflict, political turmoil, climate displacement and economic instability, over 122 million people have been forcibly displaced.
Beyond Sport believes in sports’ ability to heal, integrate and empower. Through our Sport Together Fund, we are proud to partner with organizations that are using sport to address some of the most pressing issues refugees and asylum seekers are facing right now with support from the New Balance Foundation.
Read on to see how Fútbol Más France, Kabubu and Fútbol Más Spain are addressing mental health, community inclusion and financial empowerment…
Mental Health and Wellbeing
The trauma of displacement — often compounded by violence, loss and uncertainty — takes a serious toll on refugees’ mental health. Access to culturally relevant mental health care is limited, and refugees are 7-8 times more likely to develop mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression and anxiety.
In response, Fútbol Más France is using sport as a psychosocial tool, offering structured play and emotional support to help young refugees process trauma, build resilience and social-emotional skills. Since 2018, they’ve supported refugees and migrants in refugee centers as well as in the local community. The organization is using their Sport Together Fund grant to support a Social Sport Academy project to improve the wellbeing of children living in shelters.
Through their ‘École de Sociofoot’ program, Fútbol Más France provides 5-13-year-old children, many of whom are refugees or in vulnerable situations, with structured play sessions designed for recreation and healing. While it’s not a substitute for clinical therapy, the program offers a consistent, nurturing space where children feel safe, supported and empowered. Trained educators lead each session with a trauma-sensitive approach, using positive reinforcement (e.g. awarding ‘green cards’ for kind and respectful behavior) and attentive care to help kids regulate emotions and rebuild trust.
“In École de Sociofoot, sport is a powerful way to feel joy again and connect with others. In each session, we have games and physical activities that help kids let go of stress through movement, build confidence and feel a sense of belonging. Building resilience is essential for healing and growing after difficult experiences. All of this takes place in a caring environment where every child is respected and protected. By combining sport with emotional support and positive values, we help kids begin to recover, grow and feel like they belong again,” said Program Manager, Francisca Acevedo.
Recognizing the importance of family support in a child’s mental health, Fútbol Más France also organizes activities for parents and caregivers to reduce isolation and strengthen community ties. In every session, the message is clear: children are seen, heard and valued, and through sport they find joy, connection and hope.
Social Integration and Community Relationships
A sense of belonging can be one of the hardest things to regain after displacement, with refugees often facing discrimination, isolation and social exclusion in host communities. However, as a universal language, sport transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, creating safe spaces where refugees and host communities can connect through teamwork, shared goals and mutual respect.
French grantee, Kabubu, is using sport as a bridge, bringing refugees and locals together to foster mutual understanding and build lasting community ties through their “Coop-R Sport” initiative. To help end discrimination and promote true inclusion, the organization ensures their coaches and teams are trained to lead workshops that prioritize safety, empathy and mutual respect. They also offer interculturality workshops to help participants better understand communication dynamics in order to overcome misunderstandings that often underlie discrimination.
Kabubu’s sports workshops create friendly spaces where everyone, whatever their skill level or background, can feel welcomed, encouraged and respected. They offer a wide range of sporting activities (soccer, basketball, boxing, swimming, yoga, etc.) in Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg which are adapted to local needs and pay particular attention to including women. Activities encourage non-verbal communication, social cohesion and intercultural exchange, enabling refugees and local residents to forge links in a fun and caring environment.
“At the heart of all this is sport. Our weekly sports sessions reach over 5,000 participants from nearly 100 nationalities. We’re developing training in sports-related professions like lifeguards, referees and language courses. Sports is a genuine vehicle for integration, social mixing and building bridges between different communities, in a spirit of sharing, trust and humanity,” said Programs Coordinator, Oceane Gangand.
To deepen public engagement, Kabubu developed La Fresque de la migration, a powerful educational tool to raise awareness on the asylum and migration process. By humanizing their journeys and highlighting the diverse skills of exiled people, the organization challenges stereotypes and celebrates the richness they bring to host communities. These sessions are also open to companies through in-house workshops facilitated by or alongside people with lived migration experiences.
Employment and Economic Integration
Economic integration is vital for independence and long-term stability. Finding employment enables refugees to support themselves and their families, while also restoring autonomy, offering purpose and a sense of identity. Without legal documentation, local language skills or recognition of qualifications, many refugees struggle to find meaningful employment. In many high-income countries, their employment rates remain below 20% even two years after arriving.
Spanish grantee, Fútbol Más Spain, addresses these challenges through a holistic approach that combines football sessions with life skills workshops, employability training, psychosocial support and mentorship. Operating in Madrid and Seville, they help refugee and migrant youth build both the soft and technical skills necessary for the labor market. The organization provides mentorship sessions on personal development to help refugees navigate local – and often times complicated – employment systems and build confidence in their employment journeys. Their programs also address barriers such as limited professional networks, legal or administrative restrictions and a lack of targeted training pathways, particularly in the sports sector.
Additionally, Fútbol Más Spain offers volunteer opportunities for refugee youth within their socio-sports programs. As part of the training, participants engage as volunteer mentors and facilitators in sports-based sessions with children, providing hands-on experience in coaching and working with diverse groups. These experiences help participants develop practical leadership, teamwork and communication skills and help strengthen their CVs. With the Sport Together Fund’s support, Fútbol Más Spain has strengthened these leadership pathways for their participants. Their efforts are building belonging, resilience and agency which are essential for long-term social and economic inclusion.
“Physical activity, particularly in a structured and supportive environment, plays a powerful role in economic integration. It helps build essential life and work-related skills such as discipline, resilience, cooperation and problem-solving. Sport also offers a safe space where young refugees can overcome social isolation, build trust and connect with mentors and role models. By combining physical activity with structured mentorship and training, Fútbol Más uses sport as a holistic tool for social and economic inclusion of refugee youth,” said Head of Communications and Marketing, Irene Martinez.
Moving Forward Together
World Refugee Day reminds all of us that the displacement crisis is not just a humanitarian issue — it’s a call for collective action. Sport is not a silver bullet, but when guided by equity, empathy and innovation, it is a powerful tool to confront inequality and restore hope. Through our Sport Together Fund, Beyond Sport remains committed to supporting community organizations that are actively building a better world for refugees and asylum seekers — one game, one team and one community at a time.
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