From the fields of Punjab to the World stage

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup draws the world's attention to stadiums across North America, another football story has already found its way from a village in Punjab to Mexico City. It began in Rurka Kalan, Jalandhar, where a football club has spent years giving children a place to train, belong, and dream beyond the limits of their circumstances.

In May 2026, that belief travelled thousands of kilometres when a group of young athletes from Youth Football Club (YFC) Rurka Kalan represented India at the Street Child World Cup 2026. On a stage that brought together teams from over 20 countries, India's squad delivered an extraordinary run, with wins over Argentina, Indonesia, Mexico, Malaysia, and Egypt before facing Brazil in the final and finishing as runners-up.

The World Cup that changes lives

Organised by Street Child United, the Street Child World Cup uses football as a platform to change how the world sees and treats children from underprivileged backgrounds. Held ahead of the world's biggest sporting events, it brings together children and young adults who have faced poverty, instability, and some of life's harshest circumstances, giving them a stage to be seen and heard.

Alongside the matches, participants take part in art festivals, child rights congresses, and advocacy sessions, where they challenge stereotypes and present their recommendations directly to policymakers. For many children, the tournament is their first time boarding a plane, meeting peers from another country, or having their voices heard beyond their own communities.

A football club built on second chances

Behind India's remarkable run is YFC Rurka Kalan, one of Feeding India's valued NGO partners. The academy grew from a practical belief that time on the football field could help protect children from the pull of drugs. Today, the club’s gates welcome more than 10,000 young adults each year, opening up opportunities across sport, education, and health.

The ten boys who boarded that flight to Mexico came from circumstances that make their journey even more powerful. Silas Sidhu, the team's centre-back, lost his father in 2019 and has been raised by his mother alone. Arshdeep's father works as a labourer, and during the COVID-19 pandemic, the family struggled to afford even basic food. Raminder Singh, a midfielder from Sri Muktsar Sahib, had been playing football for seven years before YFC gave his dream a clearer direction.

Their journey to Mexico was not an overnight miracle. It was built through years of training, early mornings, disciplined practice, and the confidence that grows when someone keeps showing up for you.

The quiet power of a plate

In 2024, Feeding India started working with YFC Rurka Kalan as a nutrition partner, supporting the children who trained every day on the practice grounds of the village. Behind every training session, practice match, and goal scored was another force: the meals that helped them keep going.

The meal programme at YFC differs from Feeding India's usual model because it was designed around what a young footballer's body genuinely needs. The children received protein to sustain gruelling training sessions, electrolytes to replenish what Punjab's summer heat takes away, and the right balance of carbohydrates to keep their energy steady from the first whistle to the last. Meals were planned across the day, with portion sizes shaped around training needs.

For children chasing a dream through sport, a meal is not only a meal. It is the strength to complete another drill, the focus to stay sharp in the final minutes, and the reassurance that their ambition is being taken seriously.

Feeding India is proud to stand behind these young champions, not only as a source of nutrition, but as a partner in the belief that when a child is nourished well, there is no limit to how far they can go.