Football is the world’s favourite game. It plays a vital part in the lives of billions of people worldwide. It also plays a unique role in the context of those seeking refuge. People who have been forced to flee their homes are at heightened risk of mental health issues - partly as a result of traumatic life events related to displacement, but also due to difficulties in accessing healthcare resources.

Mental health often becomes severely neglected in emergency situations where basic needs are barely satisfied. This is particularly the case for children and young adults….numerous studies have demonstrated the therapeutic benefits of sport in treating and preventing psychological disorders. Sport supports emotional regulation (helping us handle stress, manage anger, and maintain composure under pressure), and reduces a range of symptoms associated with illnesses like depression, anxiety, or mood disorders, and can act as a preventative measure against developing such illnesses. In refugee populations in particular, sports programmes have been demonstrated to be a very effective measure in reducing anxiety and improve psychosocial well-being.

This is the context within which Lighthouse Relief has worked for the past decade, and 2026 marks our tenth year of providing football programmes for refugees in Greece. We couldn’t have continued this work without our amazing staff, volunteers and interns, the financial support of countless individual donors, together with organisations such as the SOL Foundation, the FIFA Foundation, the European Union Erasmus+ programme, Dashlight Foundation, and many others. We are particularly indebted to the following: Jellina, our Sports Co-ordinator from 2022 - 2025; Lorenzo, our Sports Intern in 2021; Giorgos, our UEFA-qualified football coach from 2018 - 2021, and Federico, our Sports Facilitator from 2022 - 2025.

Now, in 2026, the need for our sports programmes remains critical. There are currently more than 200,000 refugees and asylum seekers residing in Greece. Over 20,000 live in camps, which are often remote, prison-like facilities. This population is facing a severe health crisis, with diminishing support for their mental and physical well-being amidst increasingly hostile conditions. The living conditions in camps are challenging, marked by long periods of uncertainty while waiting for asylum decisions, contributing to feelings of dejection and hopelessness. Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, boredom and loneliness further exacerbate the already difficult situation, intensifying during the long, hot summer.

These conditions are particularly marked at Ritsona camp, 75km north of Athens, the largest refugee camp on mainland Greece - where Lighthouse Relief has worked for over a decade. The camp’s isolated geographic location makes it difficult for residents to access activities or life outside the camp, or to meaningfully engage with the Greek community. Meanwhile, nearly all NGOs have been expelled from the camp, meaning few services are provided for residents.

Click on the images below for a fuller story of Lighthouse Relief’s decade of football…..and - if you believe in the power of sport to change lives - please consider supporting our sports programming. In the words of Nelson Mandela: “Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire, the power to unite people in a way that little else does…sport can create hope, where once there was only despair.” Help Lighthouse Relief bring hope, and change lives: