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The Karen Men's National Soccer Team

Building an equitable world, one player at a time. We are excited to announce the formation of the Karen Men's National Soccer Team, an all-refugee football (soccer) team representing the Karen people around the world. Currently the team will be based in the United States with the players being refugees from Burma and Thailand. This team will be a significant step for these athletes, showcasing their talents on and off the field.
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The Karen Football Association is a member of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA). Through this organization we will be playing tournaments with other countries and football associations.
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During the Spring and Summer of 2019 we will connect with players, evaluate talent, and work on our first Karen Men's National Team training camp in the United States. We look forward to seeing what will come from this exciting opportunity. Make sure to follow us on social media for all of the updates. If you have questions please contact us here.

Karen Women and Men National Soccer Team KFA

What would a National Team mean to you?

"It would mean everything for me to have a Karen National Team. Growing up, I learned most of life’s lesson through soccer. I remembered running around barefoot as a kid on a hard soccer field and it would hurt. Regardless of the pain, it didn’t stop me from playing because of how much I love the sport. The sport of soccer has taught me leadership, how to be resilient, empathy, confidence, and many more. If you look back at the Karen history, our people went through hell and till this day, they are still going through hell. Despite those tough times, soccer was the thing that brought the whole community together. To have a Karen National Team would not only mean a lot to me but for the whole Karen community as well. Soccer is well loved and respected throughout the community. There is definitely many talented players in the Karen Community and a lot of them deserve a greater opportunity. To be able to represent our country, culture, and our story through soccer would mean everything."

Z. Htoo

"Having a Karen national team would open up opportunities for many talented Karen soccer players to come together and potentially form a professional team. Many Karen soccer players do not have the opportunity to chase their dream such as becoming a professional soccer player simply because they do not have good connections to join high level teams. I believe that there are many talented Karen soccer player who have the potential to become professional soccer players and this would Open up the door for them and give them a chance to make their dream come true."

S. Htoo

"It would be a great accomplishment to our people, the history and struggles we as Karen’s have faced is tremendous and to be apart of something that represents us would be an honor."

P. Sad

"Having our own Karen national team would mean everything to me and my people. this would give other races a better understanding of Karen people and how strong we are as a nation not only that but this would give us an opportunity to be known as Karen people."

L. Hart

"This will give me something to really be passionate about as far as watching and rooting for a soccer team. It would be incredibly fortunate to have a Karen National Team because this is something I’ve always wanted to happen as a kid. I would be proud to be able to say that Karen are finally known in the sports world."

M. Shi

"Having a karen national team would mean alot to me. I've spent years playing in the Karen community and I can confidently say that we have something. We have hidden talents and im proud of that. It makes me realize that what other race can do we can do too but how do we show that ? What is stopping us ? It would mean alot to have a Karen team. A team that's going to build faith among the Karen community, a team that's going to motivate the younger youth, and a team that's going to represent and show the world our true colors."

C. Chi

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Karen National Team Partner 651 Sports Mike Resendez

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