The first Sheffield All Nations Football Festival took place on Sunday 22 June at the University of Sheffield. It was a resounding success, with 17 teams taking part, including teams of refugeees and asylum seekers from Afganistan, Angola, Chile, Kosovo, Iran, Iraq, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Yemen, and not forgetting the Kurdish Tigers!
The event was played in a great spirit, with the winners, African Dream Team, going on to represent Sheffield at the Unity Cup national championships to be held in Manchester on the 2/3 August 2003. The Dream Team overcame Reds United, made up mainly of Albanian Kosovans, 2-0 in the final.
The next step is a Summer League, to be held at the Sheffield United Academy, beginning Sunday 10 August.
The event was a joint initiative involving Sheffield First For Safety, the Refugee Housing Association, Sheffield and Hallamshire County FA, and FURD.