Saturday June 29, 2019
Supplied/Thomas Bumbeh
For many soccer-crazed expats of African countries in Edmonton, there's no better way to celebrate Canada's birthday than a few matches of the beautiful game.
Add some barbecue, cold drinks, and other fun family activities, and the All Africa Games Soccer Tournament has become an institution for local African expats.
The event has been held every Canada Day long weekend for the past 12 years and will this year take place Saturday and Sunday, at M.E. LaZerte High School.
The tournament connects members of Edmonton's African communities to each other, and especially to Canada, said Thomas Bumbeh, a co-founder of the annual event.
"As African countries, we want to participate in the celebration of Canada Day every year," said Bumbeh.
Since 2007, countries including Liberia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Morocco, Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Uganda, have participated.
'Doesn't matter whether or not they win'
Some of the newer countries to the tournament, like Namibia, draw the largest crowds to cheer their teams, said Bumbeh.
"They make this tournament a huge festival for them, cheering their team. Doesn't matter whether or not they win."
People from outside Africa also take part, including half the players on the South Africa team, who come from different cultures, including Chinese and Caribbean players.
"We don't check for your passport," said Bumbeh.
The defending champions, South Sudan, have won the tournament three years in a row, despite that country not even qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial international men's soccer championship of Africa.
The local team represented the Republic of Sudan when the tournament started 12 years ago, and got swept up in excitement with the creation of South Sudan in 2011.
"The excitement of having a new country, I think it gives a momentum, celebration," said Bumbeh. "That freedom comes with local energy, they want to be well known in the city."
Most accessible sport
The tournament gives many players the opportunity to continue their sporting traditions from back home, where footie was the most accessible sport, played on the beach or on the farm. In Edmonton, players faced barriers to taking part in organized sport, said Bumbeh, including age restrictions and the resources to register. The tournament was founded to help African players overcome those barriers.
"The accomplishments have been huge," said Bumbeh, naming players like Canadian professional soccer player Alphonso Davies, as some of the young talents who have taken part in the tournament.
"The youth section of this tournament has built up the young people. They go home and put pressure on their parents: 'I want to play soccer,'" said Bumbeh.
Bumbeh will be giving a recap of this year's tournament, and the other African games that take place at the annual event, including women's netball and Liberian kickball, on CBC Radio's Edmonton AM on Tuesday.