Eight girls from a Chennai shelter helped India reach the Street Child World Cup semifinals
Eight girls from Karunalaya, a shelter for homeless children in Chennai, beat Wales and Palestine at the 2026 Street Child World Cup in Mexico before falling to Brazil in the semifinals, putting India in the world's top four.
May 14, 2026 | Mexico City, Mexico
What happened
Eight girls from Karunalaya, a shelter for homeless and street children in Chennai, represented India at the 2026 Street Child World Cup, held in Mexico City from May 6-14. The team beat Wales and Palestine before losing to Brazil in the semifinals, the best finish by an Indian team at the tournament.
Who's involved
The team was captained by 17-year-old Pavithra Vellaiyangiri. The fifth edition of the tournament brought together street-connected children from 28 teams across more than 20 countries.
Why it matters
The Street Child World Cup uses football to spotlight the rights of street-connected children worldwide. For the Karunalaya team, the tournament was also a rare chance to travel abroad and be seen as athletes first.
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