Sports have a way of bringing people together. There’s something about active play with a common purpose that transcends language or cultural difference. “ It’s about inclusion, increased equality, movement, and joy,” says Daniel Kraft, club manager of Swedish professional football club Gefle IF. Inclusion is especially important in the community Gefle IF represents— Gävleborg County is an ethnically diverse region, with about one in five residents hailing from outside Sweden ( Statistika centralbyrån , 2021). Many are refugees from Syria, Eritrea, Somalia, and Afghanistan.

“Can I join?”  

There’s much more to Gävle-Sandviken’s youth sports programs than fun and games. These four clubs see sports as a means toward helping kids across the region feel included in their community, regardless of their cultural background. “ We want to use the power, the community, and the connections that football brings to change the game even outside the pitch for a more equal, sustainable, and inclusive society,” says Gefle IF’s manager Kraft.    It is this commitment to an inclusive community that inspired Microsoft’s partnership with the region’s sporting clubs. “We are interested in supporting local organizations that are focused on creating healthier, more connected, and happy communities,” says Richard Ryan, Datacenter Community Development Program Manager at Microsoft.   Sports are especially well positioned to bring together Swedish children of all backgrounds—physical play is at once a powerful connector for children and an important part of Swedish culture. The Swedish Sports Confederation explicitly advances sports as a means of transcending cultural difference, stating: “ One of sport’s most important basic rules is that everyone should feel welcome to participate regardless of who they are.” Playing together on a team unites youth across language, cultural, and gender differences. “Competitive sport is a meeting place where people from different cultural and ethnic backgrounds can get to know, understand and respect each other through a common interest,” write Swedish public health researchers Hertting and Karlefors in a report for the Center of Sports Research in Sweden (2017).     The investment in children’s activities pays off in stronger communities. Thomas Ö stergren of Strömsbro IF observes , “Children have the opportunity at Sommarglädje to come and mix with their peers. They understand that all children are good and can be friends. When the children understand each other, we have a better society.” These children in turn become an “extended arm” for their families, bringing parents and siblings into the fold too.    For immigrants seeking a new life in Sweden or anyone experiencing social exclusion, something as simple as kicking a ball among teammates can become a lifeline to a sense of belonging.