A ball can change the World – The Power of Sports Communication
From 2006 to 2016, I volunteered in Germany’s homelessness support network – including working as a photographer for the Homeless World Cup, a global football tournament for people affected by homelessness. The HWC 2012 in Mexico City was a defining moment: not only because of the electrifying atmosphere on the pitch, but because it showed how powerful sports communication in social sport can be.
This tournament wasn’t about professional athletes. It was about people who are often invisible – whose stories were given a voice through football. As a photographer, I set out to capture that: emotion, community, resilience, setbacks and triumphs. The images were shown in an exhibition in Kiel in September 2013, receiving wide acclaim as a visual storytelling project for social inclusion and as a statement against homelessness – with dignity and depth.
The impact of these images reached far beyond Germany: they were featured in street papers around the world, including England and Portugal – where an entire issue was dedicated to the event. This international recognition underlines the power of visual communication in raising awareness and shifting public perception around homelessness.
Especially in the field of social sport, authentic communication matters. It doesn’t just show what happens during the game – it reveals what’s behind it: social work, empowerment, integration. This exhibition is my visual contribution to raising awareness for homelessness, through respect, perspective, and the connecting power of sport.
Anstoß! e. V.
Anstoß! e. V. is a nonprofit organization working across Germany to promote sport as a tool in social work. The group organizes tournaments like the German Homeless Championship, trains social workers, prepares national teams for the Homeless World Cup, and opens doors to participation and empowerment. Anstoß! is committed to low-threshold, sports-based programs that provide structure, dignity, and perspective for people in difficult life situations.
Homeless World Cup
The Homeless World Cup Foundation, based in Scotland, is an international organization that uses football to give people experiencing homelessness around the world confidence, connection, and new opportunities. Each year, over 70 nations come together not just to play – but to be seen. The HWC is a stage for social change, rooted in the belief that everyone has the right to visibility, dignity, and a second chance.
