For this year’s edition of the Rise United Nations Cup, a host of talented designers, artists, photographers, and filmmakers from the East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) communities across London were tasked with creating their own custom-designed 2024 jerseys.
Now into its second year, The Rise United Nations Cup has grown to become more than just a tournament – it’s a celebration of friendship, belonging, and cultural heritage for the ESEA diaspora. For this year’s edition, Rise United FC – the thriving, community-centred football club that boasts over 190 members from 13 ESEA heritages – partnered with talented designers, artists, photographers, and filmmakers from the ESEA community to bring a bold, inspiring and vibrant perspective to the Nations Cup, expressing their unique heritages within the realm of the beautiful game.
visually express its heritage, resulting in stunning, custom-designed 2024 jerseys for each team: Abunai Angels (Japan), Causeway Baes (Hong Kong), D.R.I.P (United Nations), Kim Chikitaka (South Korea), Kopi Kakis (Singapore), Lao Gan Masters (China), Roti Canai-ted (Malaysia), Sinigang (The Philippines) and Vinahouse Vixens (Vietnam).
Photographed by Rise United founder, Darren Tsang, and art directed by Fanny Hötzeneder, an evocative photo series then captured the nine bespoke jerseys, perfectly showcasing what is a celebration of cultural change and representation.
"The Rise United Nations Cup is more than just a tournament—it’s a celebration of friendship, belonging, and cultural heritage for the ESEA diaspora,” explained Tsang. “Through football and our shared cultural insights, we brought together creatives from the community to collaborate on expressing our unique heritages within the realm of the beautiful game.
“The journey hasn’t been easy—facing limited resources and countless hours of planning—but the strength of our community has kept us going. Our collaborations on the pitch have sparked incredible creative projects off the pitch, including our first-ever Nations jerseys, a promotional video, posters, and even a trophy. These projects speak to the power of community, and I’m beyond grateful to be part of it.
“This photo series is a tribute to our ancestors who stepped out of their comfort zones to create better lives for us. Their perseverance and sacrifices provided our generation with the resources to create and express ourselves. The moments we’ve captured reflect our desire to honour their legacy and pass on this tradition to the next generation."
Art Director on the shoot, Fanny Hötzeneder said: “I wanted to showcase how our cast’s personal and family histories have shaped their identities in a contemporary light. By portraying their rich cultural heritage alongside the complexities of growing up in today’s world, I wanted to focus on the subtle details and layers of emotion that are often left untold within ESEA stories. The result in our photographs isn’t a simple narrative, but rather a question — one that reflects on the richness of deeply human moments, filled with complexity that is both defiant and candid.”
Speaking about the jerseys, designer Wei Prior, founder of 888.MSG, remarked: “There were many inspirations behind each design, but the key aspect was sitting down with each team to understand their unique cultural references and interests. This process allowed us to craft designs that are both authentic and reflective of each team’s identity.”
Photography: Darren Tsang (@humothy)
Art Director: Fanny Hötzeneder (@fanfanfox)
Production: Darren Tsang (@1314familystyle)
Production Assistant: Cristina Molinari (@crissanari)
Gaffer: Bryan Lim (@bryanlim)
Set Designer: Amy Conjaerts (@amyarchiving/ @tinystudios__)
HMU: Terri Capon (@terri_capon)
Stylist: Sellina Cheng (@s.yencheng)
Kit Designed by 888.MSG (@888.msg)
Supported by Dumpling Shack (@dumplingshack)
