Earlier this week we were proud to host the Pakistan Street Child Football Team in collaboration with our Community Trust, Muslim Hands, and the Luton Town Supporters’ Trust.
The Pakistan Street Child Football Team has its roots in Muslim Hands’ Maidaan programme, which aligns closely with many of our community initiatives that use sport to support vulnerable young people.
Many of the players, selected through nationwide trials, have either lived or worked on the streets without stable housing or access to school, before being brought into education and training through football.
The visit included not only fun-filled interactive training sessions with Trust coaches on Monday, but also a hard-fought matchday event between the Pakistan U17s and our Community Trust Development Team at the Brache on Wednesday afternoon.
Arslan Nusrat, Director of Global Operations at Muslim Hands and Founder of Project Maidaan, shared his vison of the collaboration: “Partnerships like the one we are developing with Luton Town Community Trust are vital to our mission.
"They connect the raw talent and untold stories of our players with the wider footballing community, showing these children that their dreams are valid and achievable.
"We look forward to building on this relationship, creating future opportunities for player development, cultural exchange, and shared learning between our young people and the football family here in Luton.
"We are deeply grateful to Daniel Douglas and Luton Town Community Trust for their hospitality and for making our boys feel at home. The victory may have been the cherry on the cake, but it is the bonds and opportunities created through this partnership that will shape the future of our players and the project.”
The match drew a strong turnout from the South Asian diaspora, reflecting the Premier League’s push to boost South Asian participation in football. For many, it was more than a game, it was a chance to connect their heritage with the sport they love, inspiring young people to see a future for themselves in football.
The organisations and team were later welcomed at Luton Town Hall by several councillors, the Deputy Lord Mayor, Lord Qurban Hussain, and the Deputy Leader of the Council (pictured below). Their recognition of the players’ journey was a powerful reminder of football’s ability to unite communities across borders.
