Soccer is more than just a game at BC Newcomers, it’s a universal language that unites children from diverse backgrounds, helping them forge friendships, build community, and feel at home in a new country. Through the shared love of the sport, they overcome language barriers, develop teamwork skills, and carry a piece of home with them wherever they play.

a deadly face-off between two of our children

Soccer. Football. Fútbol. Футбол. كرة القدم. Mpira wa miguu.

At BC Newcomers, soccer is more than just a game. It’s a language that transcends words, a sport that unites children from every corner of the world.

As arguably the most popular sport in the world, soccer is played in every country, in every language, and on every kind of terrain, from stadium to makeshift fields, in alleyways and backyards. It is a game of passion, resilience, and belonging. In a world too often divided by borders and conflict, soccer brings people together, forging connections where words sometimes fail. It creates community in places that may not yet feel like home.

Whether it's a summer camp or a stadium roaring during the World Cup, soccer can turn strangers into teammates and an unfamiliar place into something that feels like home.

A tough decision on where to pass the ball

A Game Without Borders

Nowhere is this more evident than within our summer camps at BC Newcomers. Many of the children who join our programs have come from places like Syria, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Ukraine, Colombia, Mexico, and Eritrea, each carrying their own stories, their own struggles, and their own dreams. Some speak different languages, some have never met before, but when they step onto the field, none of that matters.

The rules of the game erase language barriers. With a simple pass, a goal, or a celebratory high-five, they communicate in a way that needs no translation. In those moments, it’s as if they’ve been playing together their entire lives. They take their positions, move as a team, and work in unison with no words.

The only thing that divides them? The age-old debate: Messi or Ronaldo?

An intense soccer match from BC Newcomers' early days in 2017.

More Than a Sport

Soccer is not just a game they play, it’s a piece of home they bring with them. Many of our kids have memories of kicking a ball in their old neighbourhoods, playing with friends and family in their home countries. Now, in a new country, they get to share that love with teammates who understand it just as deeply. Through soccer, they build friendships, develop teamwork and leadership skills, and, without even realizing it, improve their English.

One of BC Newcomers' founders, Duncan, knows this feeling well. When he moved to Spain as a child without speaking a word of Spanish, he found his first friends not through conversation, but through the game. Soccer became his bridge to belonging, just as it now does for so many of our children.

Co-founder Duncan playing 2v1 against our star players.

No matter their age, background, or skill level, every child in our program is a superstar on the field. And as they dribble, pass, and score, they’re doing so much more than just playing a game, they’re building a future filled with connection, confidence, and community.