The FIFA World Cup has long been celebrated for its ability to unite people across the globe, but far from the glitz of the 2026 finals, a modest asphalt pitch in Portland, Maine, is proving that football can change lives in profound ways. At Kennedy Park, immigrants and refugees from dozens of countries gather for pick-up matches, finding not just a game but a community that helps them navigate a new life in the United States.
Football's Universal Language
For many new arrivals, the pitch is the first place where they feel at home. George Lusolo, now 19, arrived from the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2018 with his mother, seeking asylum. "I really didn't know the language. I didn't know the people," he told BBC Sport Africa. "I was still a kid so everything was really difficult for me and my mom." After time in detention and a shelter, he eventually settled in Portland and discovered the games through social media.
"What was really exciting to me was there's people like me playing in this field," Lusolo said. "Soccer is my therapy. I've always played since I was a kid in Kinshasa. When you're playing with people that are from the same place from you, from the same struggle, it really feels really nice."
Deji Kuribanza, another Congolese immigrant who arrived via Angola, echoed that sentiment. Now 18, he finds connection without words. "Everybody does not need to speak in one language," he explained. "Just point to your feet [or] some part in your body and ask for the ball. It's a really cool thing." The informal gathering that started in 2021 has blossomed into a diverse community, with players from Angola, Iraq, Sudan, and beyond.
Building Community Amid Political Tension
The bonds forged on the pitch were tested last year when U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted raids across Maine, part of the Trump administration's stepped-up enforcement. The Migration Policy Institute estimates at least 400,000 arrests since January 2025. At Kennedy Park, the impact was immediate.
"Players and their families were too afraid to leave their homes because of the danger that ICE created for them," said Anthony Fiori, who coordinates the pick-up games. "ICE created a lot of fear. They were doing a lot of harm here to the community." Students missed weeks of school, and the usual cheerful noise of football fell silent.
The football community responded with practical solidarity. Volunteers organised over 70 grocery deliveries to those who feared going outside. The players also campaigned for the release of 17-year-old Joel Andre, a regular at the park, and his family, who had been detained. After four months, they succeeded, though Andre still carries psychological scars. The episode underscored how football can serve as both refuge and rallying point.
The Power of the Pitch
What happens at Kennedy Park goes beyond recreation. For many immigrants, football provides a crucial mental health outlet, a way to process trauma and build resilience. Lusolo calls it his therapy. The shared experience of displacement creates an instant understanding that transcends language barriers.
The story reflects a broader narrative in U. S. immigrant communities, where football often serves as a bridge in a new land. As the World Cup captivates global audiences, these local pitches remind us that the beautiful game’s most important victories are sometimes not on the scoreboard.
Key Takeaways
- Football acts as a universal language for immigrants and refugees, helping them build community and find belonging in a new country.
- The pick-up games at Kennedy Park in Portland, Maine, have become a lifeline for people from dozens of nations, offering emotional support and a sense of home.
- Amid heightened immigration enforcement, the football community stepped up with practical help, including grocery deliveries and a successful campaign to free a detained teenager.
- The mental health benefits of the pitch are profound, with players describing it as therapy and a way to process the struggles of displacement.
- The 2026 World Cup’s global reach mirrors the grassroots power of the sport to unite, far from the stadiums and cameras.
Quick Facts
Location: Kennedy Park, Portland, Maine
Community founded: 2021, as informal pick-up games
Participants: Immigrants and refugees from over a dozen countries, including DR Congo, Angola, Iraq, and Sudan
Key quote: "Soccer is my therapy" – George Lusolo, Congolese asylum-seeker
Community action: 70+ grocery deliveries during ICE raids; campaigned for release of detained player
