IF the heartbreak of England failing to reach the World Cup final has faded then there is another chance to cheer the country to a football win a little closer to home.

The Cowley Road Carnival Mini World Cup returns to East Oxford tomorrow with 24 six-a-side teams ready to battle it out for sporting glory.

Players from across the county are preparing to lace up their boots to represent countries including England, Portugal, Spain, Albania, Poland and Pakistan.

It is the third time the event is being held with the sponsorship of The Baron cocktail bar on Cowley Road.

Bushi Xhetan from The Baron said: “It’s great to have the tournament again this year.

“The footballing talent and definitely the passion will be just like it was in Moscow.”

The contest is being organised in conjunction with Oxford’s Charity Football League as a joint fundraiser for Jacari, an organisation that provides tutors for children with English as a second language, and Cowley Road Works which runs Cowley Road Carnival.

Organisers revealed earlier this week that despite an extra fundraising push at this month’s street parade, donations fell far short of a £20,000 target, with just £7,900 raised from the 50,000 revellers.

The event costs £130,000 each year to cover event management and staging, safety, security and clean-up.

New carnival head Micaela Tuckwell said the group was a ‘a little disappointed’ but not disheartened and already planning next year’s festivities.

She added: “We would like to thank Bushi and The Baron as well as the Charity Football League for their support.

“It is a great initiative to stage this event to support two very worthy local charities, and illustrates how local business can make a difference in the community.”

Mr Xhetan said he believed more local businesses, who benefit from the explosion of music and colour drawing thousands to the Oxford street, should help carnival organisers with much-needed fundraising and sponsorship.

He said: “Carnival is the biggest and the most colourful day of the year, not just for the Cowley Road, but for all Oxfordshire.

“It takes a lot of effort, organisation, funding and months of hard work. To make sure the event goes ahead every year, I call on all local businesses to do a bit more to support it and help ensure that this wonderful event is not taken away from the Cowley Road community.”

The event will be held at the Oxford Academy, Sandy Lane West, between 12pm-6pm. Parking is available.

For more informations visit charityfootballleague.co.uk/tournament2018