At 4.30 a.m., when the city is still asleep, 17-year-old V. Pavithra and her team start their football practice on the MPT ground in Tondiarpet. After school, the practice resumes. This long-standing routine has, at long last, opened doors for them to represent India in Mexico.

This girls’ football team, comprising members from underprivileged backgrounds in the city, will be participating in the Street Child Football World Cup 2026, scheduled to be held from May 5 to 15 in Mexico City.

The team is trained and supported by theKarunalaya Social Service Society, which organised a send-off on Saturday, where the players spoke about the odds they had to overcome to make it this far.

“We never knew what this sport was all about until I was taken in by the shelter. I never used to dream of flying on an airplane when I was a child,” says Pavithra, who is the team captain.

“I’ve already represented India once in Qatar. This time, I want our team to win,” Pavithra further said.