ABSTRACT
Football is an exhilarating and exciting game for its adherents. It is also a mundane everyday activity that brings people together. Whether we are playing it, watching it, or simply discussing who is the best player, these social interactions are powerful and can bring people together. Yet this chapter makes no magical claims on the ‘power’ of football or sport more generally. It demonstrates some examples of how sport can provide a safe, mundane space in which to engage refugees and asylum seekers and the principles that are presented will also facilitate more inclusive environments for all participants. Overall, the coach has an important social role to play. They can play an active role in creating an inclusive environment, fostering positive social interaction and allowing participants to enjoy themselves. From this starting point we can begin to build strong foundations of trust and relationships, which can then help develop other forms of engagement.
