From the rugby fields of Sri Lanka to representing Sweden — how Touch Stockholm changed everything

Member story

By Gayanjith Loku Pathirage · Member, Touch Stockholm

I grew up playing rugby in Sri Lanka. It was more than a sport — it was community, competition, and a way of life. When I moved to Stockholm, I didn't know how much I would miss it until I found Touch Stockholm.

Touch football sits in a sweet spot I didn't know existed. It carries the same structure, the same instincts, the same electric energy of rugby — but without the collisions. For someone like me, who had been playing contact rugby for years, the transition felt natural, almost seamless. The game demanded the same spatial awareness, the same reading of the field, the same love of movement. I fell back into it immediately.

"I fell back into it immediately — and with it came something I hadn't expected: a sense of belonging."

Moving to a new country is rarely straightforward. You arrive with your skills, your history, your sense of who you are — and then you spend a long time figuring out where you fit. Sweden is a wonderful place to build a life, but like any new home, it takes time to feel like yours. Touch Stockholm shortened that time for me considerably.

What struck me first was the diversity on the field. People from all corners of the world, at all levels of experience, playing together without pretence. Nobody cared where you were from. What mattered was that you showed up, gave your best, and enjoyed the game. That kind of environment is rarer than it should be, and I didn't take it for granted.

I also want to say something about language — because it matters more than people might think. When you are new to Sweden, the everyday effort of navigating a language you are still learning can be quietly exhausting. Touch Stockholm communicates in English. That one fact made the club immediately accessible to me. I could focus on the game, on the people, on building friendships — without the added layer of translation. It was a relief I hadn't anticipated, and it made those early months in Stockholm feel far less isolating.

"It was a relief I hadn't anticipated, and it made those early months in Stockholm feel far less isolating."

The story didn't stop there. Through Touch Stockholm, I went on to represent Sweden at the European Championship and the Touch World Cup. I still find it remarkable to type those words. None of it would have been possible had I not walked onto that field for the first time. The club gave me not just a sport, but a platform — a chance to compete at a level I had never imagined when I first arrived in this country.

If you are reading this and wondering whether Touch is for you — I want to be direct: it is. You do not need a rugby background. You do not need to have played touch before. You need only to show up. The club will meet you exactly where you are. Whether you are looking for a way to stay active, a way to meet people who will become genuine friends, or simply a reason to get outside and feel part of something — Touch Stockholm offers all of that.

For those of us who have moved here from somewhere else, finding community can feel like the hardest part of building a new life. Sport has always been one of the most honest ways to do it. Touch Stockholm was that for me, and I believe it can be that for you too.

Gayanjith Loku Pathirage

Member, Touch Stockholm