Sydney  - Former battlefield foes Afghanistan and Russia will play in the final of the Homeless World Cup in Melbourne on Sunday.

Afghanistan beat Ghana in a penalty shoot out to take on 2006 champions Russia, which qualified by shunting aside reigning champions Scotland.

The tournament, which pits sides from 56 countries, is into its sixth year. Teams of four play 14-minute games on a pitch the size of a basketball court. Players must have been homeless since July 2007, be receiving help for drug or alcohol abuse or be seeking asylum.

In the women's division, where eight teams are competing, Zambia will take on Liberia in the final.

Tournament organizer Steven Persson said the event had taken people off the streets around the world. "As a change-agent it's just extraordinary," he said.

Perrson confirmed that one foreign player had gone missing and may seek asylum in Australia.

"There's a risk at any event around the world but many of the people also have strong links to home and call the country they are from home," Persson said, noting that at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne two years ago 43 athletes went missing.

Mel Young, the Scotsman who founded the Homeless World Cup, said the tournament should not exist.

"There's no need for anyone to be homeless in this world, in this day and age," he said. "There are vast resources and humans are fantastic innovators. We can create the internet, fly to the moon, so we can eradicate homelessness. We can do it together. It's everyone's game."

Austria put on the first event in Graz in 2003, followed by the Sweden (Gothenburg), Scotland (Edinburgh), South Africa (Cape Town) and Denmark (Copenhagen). (dpa)