GOOOOOOAAAAALLL!

Every four years, the FIFA World Cup comes around and brings some added excitement, passion and good-spirited patriotism to the daily lives of people all over the world. 

According to figures published by FIFA in December 2015, more than a billion people watched the 2014 World Cup final in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. And during the month-long tournament in 2010, roughly 46% of the global population watched at least one minute of the games on TV, a report produced for FIFA by the British firm KantarSport claims.

The tournament unites us all, and regardless of language, nation, faith, gender and age, it's a time for everyone to root and cheer for a white and black rubber ball making it into a net if we so choose to. Whether you watch from a stadium or from your couch, it's widely accepted that a good game of footie is a good time. 

Who We're Rooting For

This summer, we're excited that four of our artisan partners are represented in the countries competing! Peru, Mexico, Colombia and Tunisia are all playing for this year's FIFA World Cup champion title. 

Bringing Fair Trade to FIFA

What better way to foster team spirit and friendship than with handmade, fair trade soccer balls? For centuries, hand needlework by Afghan women has been renowned for its singularity, beauty and traditional aesthetic. 

Dosti, a Bpeace nonprofit project, employs hundreds of women artisans in Kabul and Daikondy, Afghanistan, providing them with the resources needed to lead financially independent lives. Meaning "friendship" in Farsi, Dosti enables women to master the craft of conventional Afghan needlework through handmade production, combining traditional skills with contemporary standards.

Dosti soccer balls are club-quality and hand-stitched by the women, who produce about 500 in total everyday. Most of the artisans work from home, which allows for a safer and more practical working environment for these women, many of whom are mothers and homemakers with a great deal of responsibility. Dosti makes it possible for Afghan women to lead financially independent lives while remaining socially and personally secure.

Made with fine synthetic leather, these soccer balls have the perfect bounce, shape and texture. Each Dosti ball bears the company’s signature Doves in Flight pattern in the colors of the Afghan flag.

These soccer balls symbolize much more than an opportunity to play a friendly game of football. By harnessing the extraordinary sewing skills that Afghan women have long been recognized for, Dosti provides Afghan women the opportunity to work from home, provide for their families and produce something that transcends all cultures.