Alphonso Davies was born in a refugee camp in Ghana. This summer, he’ll captain a symbolic squad of professional footballers whose personal histories read like survival novels, not scouting reports.
The UN Refugee Agency launched what it calls the Gamechanging Team on May 19, 2026, a curated roster of elite players with refugee backgrounds designed to leverage the biggest stage in sports: the FIFA Men’s World Cup, kicking off across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
A squad built on displacement
Seven members of the squad are expected to actually compete at the 2026 World Cup, representing the national teams that gave them, or their families, a second chance. Davies leads the group as captain, a role that mirrors his position as a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador.
The roster includes Germany’s Antonio Rudiger and France’s Eduardo Camavinga among the most recognizable names. Awer Mabil, who has spoken publicly about his family’s flight from South Sudan, rounds out the headline selections.
