The purpose of this study is to illustrate football coaches' experience of club life as a tool toinclude and socially integrate adolescents of foreign descent. Additionally the purpose is toinvestigate how football coaches work to include girls of foreign descent. The study'smethodological starting point has been a qualitative study in the form of semi-structuredinterviews with football coaches. The participants in the study consisted of three women andthree men who have young people of foreign descent in their football teams. The study'stheoretical starting point is based on the intersectional perspective and the concepts of socialinclusion and exclusion. Adolescents of foreign origin have both economical and culturalchallenges. The results of the study have shown that football is an inclusion factor, whereadolescents of foreign origin can, among other things, develop their social networking,language and learn norms and values. The football coaches experience that girls of foreignorigin encounter several different challenges with being socially included and integratedthrough football into society. However, the cultural barriers are the main challenge. In orderto be able to socially include and integrate girls of foreign origin, football coaches need toadapt their work based on the girls but also the needs of the parents. Football can sociallyintegrate and include adolescents of foreign origin, nevertheless this does not have to applyto all adolescents of foreign origin.
Keywords: Football, social inclusion, social integration, adolescents, foreign descent, socialnetworks.