RISE United FC Debuts New Kit Sponsored by SOS Security at Market Road Summer Tournament
RISE United arrived at the Market Road Summer Tournament with a new kit and a new local partnership. But the SOS Security logo on the front of the shirt represents something bigger than sponsorship: a business choosing to invest directly in young people and grassroots football.
More than a new shirt
On Wednesday 27 August 2025, RISE United FC joined teams from across North London for the Market Road Annual Summer Football Tournament. It was an opportunity to compete, test the team against new opposition and mark another step in the development of RISE’s football programme.
It was also the first time the team stepped onto the pitch in its new kit, sponsored by SOS Security.
Sponsorship can easily become a logo placed on a shirt and forgotten. We wanted this partnership to mean more than that. For RISE, the most valuable local partnerships are those where businesses recognise that investing in community activity can create opportunities that extend well beyond a single event.
A conversation that became an investment
The relationship with SOS Security grew from a simple conversation in a shared office space. As the company learned more about RISE’s work with young people and communities in Haringey, that conversation developed into practical support for RISE United.
The resulting sponsorship has given the team a stronger identity on the pitch while showing the players that local businesses are prepared to back what they are building.
That matters to us. Grassroots programmes become stronger when organisations, businesses and residents see themselves as part of the same local ecosystem rather than working separately.
Football as a way in
RISE United sits within our wider work with young people. Football gives young people a reason to turn up, compete and spend time together, but the value of the programme is not limited to what happens during a match.
Regular football asks players to communicate, manage frustration, take responsibility for one another and keep going when the result is not going their way. Those experiences create opportunities to develop confidence, resilience and leadership in ways that feel natural rather than imposed.
Just as importantly, sport creates relationships. Young people who first meet RISE through football can gradually connect with youth workers, other activities and wider opportunities across the organisation.
Testing ourselves at Market Road
The summer tournament brought together more than eight teams in a competitive community football environment. Under coach Ibrahim Rashid and captain Yousri Belabbes, RISE United progressed through the group stages and into the semi-finals.
New additions Marlon and Michael made an immediate contribution, sharing five goals between them. The team ultimately exited at the semi-final stage, but tournament football is useful precisely because it asks players to adapt quickly, perform under pressure and respond to unfamiliar opposition.
There was disappointment in not reaching the final, but there was also plenty to take forward. The tournament showed a team becoming more settled, competitive and confident together.
A semi-final finish and another step forward
RISE United progressed from the group stages into the semi-finals, with the tournament providing another competitive test as the team continued to develop.
RISE United at Market Road
Watch highlights from the tournament as RISE United competed at Market Road and debuted the club’s new SOS Security-sponsored kit.
What local sponsorship can make possible
A football kit may appear to be a relatively small part of a youth programme, but these details matter. A proper kit gives a team identity, creates pride in representing something and signals to young people that their participation is being taken seriously.
For grassroots organisations, support from local businesses can also help make programmes more sustainable. Equipment, facilities, transport, coaching and competition all carry costs. When businesses contribute, they help community organisations direct more of their resources towards keeping young people engaged.
That is why we see our relationship with SOS Security as part of something wider. It is an example of what can happen when a local company chooses to see youth development not as somebody else’s responsibility, but as something it can help strengthen.
The logo is visible on the shirt. The bigger investment is in the young people wearing it.
Building RISE United
RISE United was never intended to be defined by one tournament. The aim is to create a consistent football environment in which young people can compete, develop and feel part of a team over time.
The Market Road tournament gave us another opportunity to see that development in action. There were goals, strong performances and a semi-final appearance, but there were also the smaller signs of progress that matter to us: communication between players, responsibility on the pitch and a growing sense of identity around the team.
As RISE United looks towards its next competitions and the wider development of football at RISE, partnerships like the one with SOS Security give us a stronger foundation from which to grow.
Football is one part of a much bigger youth journey.
RISE creates spaces where young people can stay active, build confidence, develop relationships and connect with opportunities through football, youth club, calisthenics, padel and workshops.