Manchester Metropolitan University roundtable on football's role for the inclusion of migrant communities will explore today (22 October) best practice on the field and the sport's potential to help refugees and asylum seekers become part of their new communities.

The event, held at the Etihad stadium, is being organised by the University's Centre for the Study of Football and its Communities and marks the beginning of a six month project in which the centre will design a toolkit to help football clubs become more inclusive of migrant communities.

Centre Director Dr Annabel Kiernan has said that the event is “a particularly timely project in light of the rise of anti-migrant policies in a number of European countries.

“We feel that the project will help football clubs to engage with migrant communities in their local area and we’re very pleased to be working towards the positive inclusion of those communities.”

The group will be working with teams, including United Glasgow FC, who have had real success in bringing together longstanding residents with refugees and asylum seekers to create a thriving football team.

Alan White, founder of United Glasgow FC, said: “It helps people to realise they have more in common than they previously thought. It’s easy for young people, especially, to be influenced by the media or family members when it comes to things like immigration and race – even when they might not have met many people from different backgrounds!”

Participants in the event, which is organised as part of the Fare action weeks, include representatives of The Poverty Alliance, Migrant Voice, Manchester City FC, United Glasgow FC, A&M Training, Manchester City Council, and the Cymru Refugee Football League.

Details of the full schedule for the day are available on website. The event is open to invited participants only, but a full report will be available shortly after it.