How London’s mixed-heritage World Cup fans choose a side

Isabella Silvers, whose weekly newsletter Mixed Messages explores “the mixed-race experience”, said London was a fascinating city.

“We have so many cultures and people supporting different countries here,” she said.

“Football is a chance for people to come together, to find that connection to heritages they may sometimes feel a bit distant from.

“It’s a way to find connection to the diaspora around the world and be really proud of something which otherwise may leave you feeling racism and discrimination on a personal level and on a systemic level.

“So football is a chance to find that pride, find that community and maybe support a team that may get to the final.”

What I have realised is that identity is not just a passport or a football shirt. It is shaped by family, culture, memories and the places that make us feel at home.

In London, those stories come together every day and the World Cup simply makes them visible.

I may never choose just one team, and in a city like London, maybe I can support them all.

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