Alexandra Buzzing with a New World Cup Fever: Football for Hope

Alexandra, South Africa --

Another World Cup will be kicking off Sunday morning in South Africa, yet this one will be much different than the one that considers itself the world's greatest sporting event. While this tournament, the FIFA Football for Hope Festival, will not be shown live throughout the world nor will its players' every movement be subject to global scrutiny, it will still mean everything and more to the players involved.

FIFA has embraced the idea of a Football for Hope Festival for organizations using football to promote development goals and this has been duly reflected by the attention the local South Africa media has been giving it. In Saturday's papers, articles covering the buildup to the festival featured right next to coverage about Brazil's stunning defeat to the Netherlands.

With the opening ceremony being presided over by none other than Sepp Blatter and Jacob Zuma, Presidents of FIFA and South Africa respectively, it is no wonder that this event is beginning to raise eyebrows amongst South Africans.

For Alexandra, an overcrowded township that faces high levels of unemployment, poverty and crime, thieir moment in the limelight has finally come. Team Alexandra of Play Soccer South Africa, comprised of eight young men and women from the area, will kick off the tournament against the participants from Uruguay, no doubt seeking a small measure of revenge for their beloved Bafana Bafana's heartbreaking loss to the same country.

Long after the dust has settled on both the World Cup and the Football for Hope Festival, their legacies will continue. FIFA has made the Football for Hope Festival a priority this World Cup, with it featuring on the advertising boards during official World Cup matches along with playing a public service announcement to the crowd regarding the festival during half-time.

Part of that legacy will be FIFA's 20 Centers for Hope, strategically placed public health, education and football centers in Africa, and the 1 Goal campaign, an initiative to ensure every child has access to education in Africa, endorsed by many prominent World Cup stars, including Lionel Messi.

In the words of Team Alex's coach Sello Mahlangu, “this World Cup isn't just about the big stars, but also about bringing hope, change and opportunities to communities like Alexandra.”

Football has brought hope to South Africa, similar to the way that it has brought hope to all of the players in the Football for Hope Festival, and it is exceptional to see South African media finally giving this movement its due.

Alexandra is buzzing with activity with just a day to go until the opening ceremony, but there is nobody more excited than Team Alexandra. Katlego, a member of the squad and resident of Alexandra, said that he “could not wait for all of his new friends to see his home town and for the festival to begin.” Coach Mahlangu also added that he wanted to “thank Football for Hope for giving the young people of Alex and opportunity to shine.”

From the looks of things, Alexandra and the rest of South Africa cannot wait for them to arrive as well.

Let's just hope that for all of the publicity and support from FIFA that this festival is drawing is used to keep the message of football for hope going. For this is not just a one week festival, it is a lifelong dream for everyone involved.