2018 FIFA World Cup: Refugees hold their own tournament

World
Europe

01:44

While the World Cup continues in Russia's main stadiums, a group of refugees from Cameroon, Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo have been holding their own tournament in Moscow with the aim of highlighting the plight of displaced people around the world. CGTN's Lucy Taylor reports.

Even World Cup superstars don't normally get to play in a setting like this. But these are refugees and migrants playing a tournament to try to secure more rights.

LUCY TAYLOR MOSCOW, RUSSIA "Of course, these are not the only refugees and displaced people at this World Cup. Some of its stars fled from war when they were children - from Luka Modric to Victor Moses. But for every success story like theirs, are many more left in limbo."

Russia has a tough line on immigration. Only 592 people have been granted refugee status. Advocates say many more live here without papers.

SVETLANA GANNUSHKINA ACTIVIST "They have a very sad and difficult life. Because every policeman they meet on the street is checking their papers and can take them immediately to a court, and they might be expelled. And the second option is, unfortunately, corruption, to pay a bribe to the policeman. And this is how the whole corrupt system is being formed because these people can't get legal status."

But some of the players say life is improving for migrants in Russia. Dimery arrived five years ago.

DIMERY DAVID REFUGEE "Before, Russia - fear, fear. But now, Russia is very good. Salut, all people! No racism. Yes, it's very good."

They say that football provides some common ground. But it may take much more than a football game to achieve the real goals they are playing for. Lucy Taylor, CGTN, Moscow.