MEET THE 2023 TEAMS

From: Manchester

We are so excited to be involved in this inclusive festival and we’ll be entering multiple teams from The Laces family! We’re most looking forward to meeting teams from all over Europe and getting to hang out with some old friends too!

If anyone needs any Manchester tourism advice then we’re the go-to people! Drop us a DM on socials @manchesterlaces

Instagram: @manchesterlaces

Twitter: @manchesterlaces

Website: www.manchesterlaces.co.uk

From: South East London

The Deptford Ravens started out as a kick about in April 2022. The River Ravensbourn runs into Deptford, which is how we chose our name. Our ethos is all about community, fun and inclusivity. We wanted to be a place for women, non-binary and trans people to play football in SE London - maybe to try it for the first time, experience the joy of playing in a non-judgemental environment or just come and attempt to do some exercise! We were somewhat inspired by East London's LGBTQ+ group, Queerspace which holds open kick about meet ups for queer folk in Victoria Park. We wanted a local group in South East London for women (of any sexuality), which also holds the important inclusive values practiced so well by many queer communities, like Queerspace. We also wanted to prioritise community spirit over competitive spirit, and whilst we love winning games, we generally always feel like we have won because we have so much fun when we play. Our team has been comprised of as many as 30 players rotating in and out, and we have a community of 100 people in our kick about group. We run our weekly sessions as open-access with the aim to give as many players as we can the chance to play in games and leagues, made possible by leagues like Clubs United in London who offer inclusive spaces. We can't wait to come to Manchester and play at Ball Together Now and we can't wait to meet everyone and have an amazing weekend! CACAW!

Instagram: @deptford_ravens

From: London

We're a queer grassroots football space for and by self-identified queer, lesbian, bi and trans women, trans men, nonbinary and intersex people. Queerspace was first established back in 2016 as part of a wider project to build queer community space in London, which has since evolved into our much loved Queer Kickabout, weekly non-competitive kickabout in East London. Our space is open to everyone - from total beginner to seasoned ballers! From organising strike fund tournaments to bringing our trans inclusive football agenda to leagues, we've also been involved in lots of different grassroots and radical projects, protests and tournaments over the years, and pride our selves on building community and showing solidarity through the beautiful game. We're so excited to come up to Manchester to play some football! We're bringing two teams, and are looking forward to meeting queers from all over the country.

Instagram: @queerspace_fc

From: Manchester

For what we lack in youth, fitness and let’s face it skill, we most definitely make for up in enthusiasm. If talking a good game was a thing, we’d be World Champions.

Sure our age range spans four decades and yes, we’re less Cruyff… more Cruffin but between us we have all the component parts for at least one quality player.

Established in 2019 long before lockdowns, Euro’s success and well let’s face it, any real availability of safe, inclusive places for us to play…we built our own footy family for ourselves and we haven’t looked back!

Small sided games are our jam. Our weekly game really is the BEST hour of the week and we’re dead chuffed to have won S1 of the AF League (North).

Football aside, we’re really lucky to have found our people. Inclusivity is one of our core values, we welcome everyone and respect the right to love anyone here. Our love for the game has brought us together but we’ve found so much more. Our socials are epic, our Fantasy Football league’s waaayyy more competitive than our actual football and now we can’t wait to try our hand at some tournament fun and be part of the start of something special.

Winners or wooden spoon, we’re here for it and ready to bring the party in the Liarnesses team gazeebo. Do pop in!

Instagram: @liarnesses

From: East London

Chirps FC, formed in August 2022, is a beginners female/non-binary identifying grassroots football team, based in East London. Our initiative is to create a safe and inclusive space for women/nbs of all backgrounds to come together and play football. Described by the Goalposts League as 'a warm-nurturing nest', our aim is to prove that football doesn't have to be an intimidating space for women/nbs. We have a solid brood of 27 chickens who love nothing more than a kickabout followed by pints in the pub. We can’t wait to bring two teams up to Manchester and not only play in our first ever tournament, but also get to meet all the wonderful teams and players from across the country. Cheep cheep! See you there!

Instagram: @chirpsfc

From: London

Stonewall FC is the world's most successful LGBT+ football club, aiming to make football a more inclusive space for all.

Stonewall’s women and non-binary team was formed in 2021 and has gone from strength to strength, we currently have 3 teams playing in various Leagues in East London at development, intermediate and advanced levels. We are all about creating space for LGBTQ+ people to play football in a supportive and inclusive environment. We are super excited to be heading to Manchester to play against some old friends and make new ones!

Instagram: @stonewall.fc

Website: www.stonewallfc.com

From: LLandudno, Wales

We were formed after lockdown in 2020/2021, a recreational community football team with a social conscience, that plays for purpose by helping to raise funds and awareness for good causes.

There is no interest in joining a league as our team is based on inclusivity rather than ability, where everyone matters, and new members are welcomed, even if they have never kicked a ball before.

The idea is to create a welcoming space for physical wellness, mental well-being, social inclusion and giving back to the communities that we serve.

We train every Thursday evening in the maddest of Welsh weather but love every second of it.

Our social scene is expanding and there is no better day or evening where we all get together and share the love that the team has for each other.

That is why the hype for this day has started already and we can't wait to meet all the like minded teams, wherever they come from, and share a few days of fun, football and friendship.

Instagram: @northwalesdragons

Twitter: @NWalesDragons

Website: www.northwalesdragons.co.uk

From: North Manchester

We are the AF League North All Stars - a mix of players from five Alternative League North teams. The AF League is a casual league for women and non-binary players, which aims to create an inclusive ethos and provide football in a fun, safe and welcoming space.

AF North is coming to the end of its second season and we've loved getting to know each other as friends and teammates and we are so excited to get the chance to play together as a single team! Between us we've got experienced players as well as people who hadn't played at all before joining the AF League.

We are hoping to bring two teams to the festival and show everyone what AF North is all about.

Instagram: @theafleague

Website: www.afleague.co.uk

From: Cardiff

Cardiff 62s FC is a brand new LGBTQ+ team based in Cardiff. We are still a small group of players but intend to reach out to the community and grow soon. At Cardiff 62s FC we want all our players to feel that they have a safe place to enjoy playing football. With a focus on empowerment and mental wellbeing we aim at creating a space for all players within an inclusive environment for all abilities to play and make lasting friendships. We are very much looking forward to meeting other like-minded teams from around the UK and gaining valuable experience from playing with different teams. See you all soon!

Instagram: @cardiff62fc

From: Dublin

The Phoenix Tigers is a social football club from Dublin that was set up in June 2004, nearly 20 years later our little club is still thriving as a safe space for LGBTQ+ (women and non-binary) people to play football, meet new people and have some fun through sports.

We train twice a week and take part in amateur tournaments and friendlies when we can, and love to reward ourselves with a pint afterwards. We can’t wait to head over to Manchester with our two squads to see what we can do and most importantly, make some new friends and have a great time. Looking forward to meeting all of you lovely people!

Instagram: @phoenixtigersfc

From: Manchester

Lez Be United FC are an inclusive football team for women, trans and non-binary players of all ages and abilities. We’re absolutely buzzing to take part in a first ever football tourno in our home town of Manchester! Lez av it!

Instagram: @lezbeunited_fc

From: Manchester

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Manchester

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Dublin, Ireland

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Warsaw, Poland

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Manchester

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Glasgow, Scotland

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Manchester

When we descended upon a parking space on the derelict land of a former drink house we didn’t realise that it was infact destiny that had led us there to in which form a team with some of the best northern players , and Hayley.

That car park formed a bond within us that makes us an unstoppable force known as Jaggy Thistle FC.

‘ Jaggy Thistle? Never seen them play , but I’ve heard things ‘

Davina McCall

From: Manchester

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Liverpool

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Leeds

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: Liverpool

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite

From: London

Tell us a bit about you!

Instagram: @yourinstagram

Twitter: @yourtwitter

Website: @yourwebsite