Football fights the housing emergency by ditching home colours for Shelter Scotland’s #NoHomeKit this Christmas

Scottish football clubs across the men’s and women’s game will don their away colours as the SPFL and SWPL announces its support for Shelter Scotland’s #NoHomeKit campaign

Football fans in Scotland will see this year’s festive fixtures like never before, with both teams wearing away kits to highlight the lack of a home for many this Christmas. For the first time, the SPFL and SWPL are taking part in Shelter Scotland’s #NoHomeKit campaign.

In the space of 90 minutes, five households become homeless in Scotland. That means between the first and last whistle of any football match, five households will no longer have a safe or secure place to call home. Many more are at risk of becoming homeless with the cost of living crisis stretching family budgets to breaking point this winter.

Shelter Scotland’s #NoHomeKit is football’s way of combating this growing emergency, with the charity encouraging teams and fans to proudly show off their away and third kits and donate to the cause.

The SPFL are supporting with all clubs wearing away or third kits for the fixtures on 23-24 December, including the likes of Celtic, Motherwell and Hibernian who will be wearing #NoHomeKit for a home fixture, as are the SWPL and the rest of women’s football in Scotland. The women’s game kicks off #NoHomeKit with a full round of fixtures on 4 December, while the men follow over the festive period from 23 December.

Scottish clubs lead the #NoHomeKit activity throughout the UK, with Premier League clubs in England, EFL, WSL and non-League clubs also committed to supporting.

Neil Doncaster, CEO of the SPFL said: “We are delighted to support Shelter Scotland’s #NoHomeKit this season and are committed to helping this worsening problem in Scotland. The details of the growing housing crisis in this country are staggering and we are proud that we are able to help in some way. I can’t wait to see our clubs leave their home shirts at home for this historic round of fixtures.”

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “No child or family should have to spend Christmas without a home, yet a record number of families in Scotland are trapped in temporary accommodation. Many have been since last Christmas. That’s why we are incredibly grateful to the football clubs and communities who are supporting our #NoHomeKit campaign by donning their away colours and joining the fight for home.”

Whether you’re watching at the ground or from your sofa, you can join the movement fighting to defend the right to a safe, secure and affordable home for everyone. Get involved by swapping your home colours for an away or third kit and text HOME to 70800 to donate £5 or visit shelterscotland.org/NoHomeKit to donate.