Thanks to the recent opening of two more state-of-the-art Cruyff Courts, children in South African townships now have vibrant, secure environments where they can play, learn, and unlock their potential through sport.
Elandsdoorn, South Africa (29 October 2025) – For children growing up in South African townships, access to sport is not always prioritised or guaranteed.
The Johan Cruyff Foundation strives to change this reality one sports court and youth empowerment project at a time. With 12 Cruyff Courts, 25 trained local Cruyff Foundation coaches and several projects for children with special needs, the Foundation empowers kids every single day.
This month, former Manchester United goalkeeper and Cruyff Foundation board member, Edwin van der Sar, recently attended the openings of two new Cruyff Courts in Diepkloof and George.
Edwin took penalties against local children to officially open the courts, but the goal was not merely about soccer. These Cruyff Courts provide young people in underserved communities with safe spaces for sports with structured programmes that teach discipline, teamwork, and life skills, as well as foster physical and mental development.
“Every young person deserves a safe place to play sports. Cruyff Courts offer hope, connection and opportunity. Through sport, they discover strength, confidence and develop so many skills,” said Van der Sar.
The Cruyff Foundation’s projects are made possible through teamwork with local partners, including Rhiza Babuyile, a leading South African community development NGO.
The new Cruyff Court Diepkloof will operate in partnership with the Zodwa Khoza Foundation, while Cruyff Court Thembalethu in George is in collaboration with Empower. These two organisations bring extensive experience running community initiatives, ensuring the courts are integrated into the social fabric of their neighbourhoods.
The opening of the courts was kicked off with an epic street league, which saw teams of children from the ten already established Cruyff Courts in South Africa compete against each other for the first time for the coveted Cruyff Street League Cup.
Held at the first court built in 2004 in Elandsdoorn, it was the Cruyff Court Bambanani team who won the cup for the boys, and the Cruyff Court Rhiza Orange Farm team who took it home for the girls – marking the first national Cruyff Foundation tournament on African soil, where discipline, hard work and fun came together beautifully.
The real goal isn’t only football. With these innovative facilities offering a way out of daily struggles and limitations, creating pathways to new skills and reimagined futures, our young people are well on their way to achieving great things!
Sources: Johan Cruyff Foundation
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