On Saturday, July 18 2026 approximately 150 people of Naarm/Melbourne came together to celebrate community, play football and raise funds to support Palestinians impacted by the war in Gaza. The Peoples Cup was organised by The People’s Plan for Footscray, who describe the event as:
“…an intentionally counter event: instead of the elitism and commercialisation of the FIFA World Cup, we want to celebrate the joy and wonder of football, bringing people together to celebrate our struggles for a world built on solidarity.“
The event saw 24 teams of 5 compete for the top spot, with the final match coming down to a penalty shootout. The event was favoured by an unseasonally warm winters day, the atmosphere was light and welcoming. Friend groups and families sat together on picnic rugs and fold out chairs, peoples dogs played with each other, or balls of their own.
Fundraising activity included the sale of donated posters, artworks, t-shirts and a sausage sizzle, with proceeds going to support Palestinians impacted by the war in Gaza and ongoing occupation.
The organisers expect there to be future similar events, with potentially greater frequency than the World Cup.
You can contact the organisers via info@peoplesplanfootscray.net
