FROM THE COAST TO THE WORLD: MTG WINS THE 2026 WFS AWARD FOR FOOTBALL FOR GOOD

By Mwanakombo Hassan

Sometimes, a football pitch is more than a place to play. Sometimes, it is where a girl finds her voice, makes a friend, discovers her confidence and begins to imagine a future that once felt out of reach. For 25 years, that has been the story of Moving the Goalposts (MTG), and now, that story is being recognised on the global stage. MTG has been named the winner of the 2026 WFS Award for Football for Good, presented by Common Goal. The recognition comes in a landmark year for the organisation, as it celebrates 25 years of using football to create opportunities for girls and young women along Kenya’s coast.

MTG United

What makes this award matter is not simply the trophy. It is what the trophy represents. More than 70,000 girls have taken part in MTG programmes over the years, with 8,867 girls registered in 2026 alone. Behind those numbers are girls who have stayed in school, young women who have found their confidence, communities that are questioning expectations that have held girls back, and countless moments when a girl has discovered that she is capable of more than she once believed. Football is the starting point, but the goal is much bigger: to help girls become confident, informed and empowered to shape their own lives and communities.

MTG Girls dancing during the Mental health curriculum Launch

For Mercy Manoso, an MTG participant and teenage mother, that change is deeply personal. “For years, many in my community believed football was a distraction for girls. My story stands as a different truth. Sport didn’t take me away from my education; it brought me back to it and myself. It gave me focus, discipline, and the courage to succeed in school and in life. I used to be silent. Today, I lead.” Her story is a reminder of why this work matters. When a girl has a safe place to play, people who believe in her and opportunities to learn and grow, the impact can follow her long after she leaves the pitch. She can return to school. She can make informed decisions. She can find her voice. She can lead.

“This recognition comes at a significant moment for MTG as we celebrate 25 years of walking alongside communities and creating opportunities for lasting change,” said Dorcas Amakobe, Executive Director of Moving the Goalposts. “In a challenging development landscape, this award is a testament to the resilience, passion and collective effort of the entire MTG community. It reminds us of why we started and strengthens our resolve to build an institution that remains rooted in communities and continues to create lasting impact for generations to come.” And that is the real significance of this moment. The award is not the end of MTG’s story; it is a reminder that this work is worth sustaining and growing. It is an invitation to everyone who believes girls deserve the chance to play, learn, lead and thrive to become part of what comes next.

As MTG celebrates “MTG @25: Celebrating the Legacy. Inspiring the Future,” the next chapter will need more people behind it. More girls deserve safe spaces. More communities deserve the opportunity to see what is possible when girls are supported. More futures can be changed when the right opportunities exist. Whether through funding, partnership, collaboration or simply sharing MTG’s work with your networks, you can help take this movement further. The formal award will be presented at the WFS Awards ceremony in Madrid, Spain, on 15 September 2026, but the most important work will continue where it has always mattered most: in the communities, on the pitches and alongside the girls. The girls are playing. The movement is growing. And the goalposts are still moving. Join us and help move them further.