The world's only collection of handmade footballs made by street children from around the globe — around 300 balls from more than 40 countries. Every ball has its own story.
Made from socks, plastic bags, banana leaves, fabric scraps — every ball is unique.
Hans-Martin Haist founded the EIGEN-SINN children's and youth workshop in Freudenstadt in 1999 and ran it as managing director from the very start. From 2005 he also gathered this collection: inspired by a sock ball from Africa, he asked street workers and helpers all over the world to send him their handmade balls. Hans-Martin passed away in 2023. He asked me to carry on his work — and that is exactly what I am doing.
⚽ The collection is up for auction
The collection goes under the hammer — the auction ends at the kick-off of the World Cup final. The proceeds benefit the EIGEN-SINN children's workshop.
Auction: Thu 9 – Sun 19 July 2026 · ends 9:00 p.m. CEST (kick-off of the World Cup final)
⏳ Starts 9 July 2026, 9:00 p.m. CEST — the link to the eBay auction will appear here once it is liveThe collection is sold as a whole, as shown / as inspected. All details without guarantee.
A tour through the complete collection — every single ball, the display stands, the country signs and the documentation. So you can see at a glance what changes hands in the auction.
The collection is sold as a whole — complete with all balls, signs and exhibition materials.
You can also support the football collection without the auction. Every contribution goes through the EIGEN-SINN foundation 100% transparently and securely to the children's workshop. Please always state “Fußballsammlung” (football collection) as the payment reference — only then can we assign your donation to the project.
💳 Donate with PayPalOr by bank transfer
🔒 Secure & transparent — the entire amount goes to the children's workshop.
Stiftung EiGEN-SiNN — non-independent foundation, trustee Kinderwerkstatt Eigen-Sinn gGmbH
Badstraße 47, 72250 Freudenstadt, Germany · Tel. +49 7441 9328502 · info@stiftung-eigensinn.de
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