By Janakan Seemampillai

Colombia and Lebanon will meet at Rydalmere Park at 6pm in a highlight of the African Australian Football Association’s (AAFA) inaugural women’s Multicultural World Cup. The Round 3 clash is part of a full day of football, with three men’s round-of-16 matches and plenty happening off the pitch.

For seven years, the Multicultural World Cup has brought people together through football. The AAFA was founded in 2020 by young people from Western Sydney who wanted to use the game to break down social and cultural barriers. What began as a community initiative has grown into a tournament representing 34 nations across the men’s, women’s and boys’ divisions.

The men’s tournament remains a major drawcard, while the boys’ division gives emerging players a chance to test themselves in competition. This year, much of the spotlight will be on the women as South Sudan, Colombia, Lebanon and Afghanistan compete to become the tournament’s first women’s champions.

For the players in those four teams, the inaugural competition is a chance to represent their communities and help establish a division that organisers hope will grow in the years ahead. For younger girls watching from the sidelines, it’s a chance to see players from their own communities taking the field.

The match brings together two footballing communities with plenty to cheer for. Colombia’s reputation for creative, attacking football adds to the appeal of the fixture, while Lebanon will look to bring organisation and resilience to what promises to be a closely fought contest. Both sides have the chance to make their mark in the group stage as the race for the first title takes shape.

Young fans of both teams already have role models close to home. Colombian international Elexa Bahr is playing for the Western Sydney Wanderers this season, while Lebanese international Tiana Jaber grew up in Western Sydney and now captains the Wanderers. For a young footballer watching at Rydalmere Park, the two players offer a glimpse of where the game could take them, from representing their community to playing for club and country.

There’s plenty at stake in the men’s competition, too, with three places in the quarter-finals up for grabs. Mexico takes on San Marino at 2pm, followed by Türkiye against Spain at 4pm. Australia and Kenya round out the day at 8pm, following the women’s match.

Between games, spectators can enjoy music, dancing and singing, along with a barbecue, wood-fired pizza, fresh coffee and refreshments. With fixtures running from early afternoon into the evening, families and supporters can come along for a match or stay for the full programme.

This year’s tournament is supported by Multicultural NSW, JOGA, Speedway Petroleum Australia, ABWFoods Australia and Ontrack Shipping. Their support helps the AAFA bring players, families and supporters together around the game. When Colombia and Lebanon take the field at 6pm, they’ll be playing for three points and helping establish a competition that gives more women and girls a place in one of Western Sydney’s most vibrant football gatherings.