Five African teams have been told they cannot enter the UK

They said the players were barred because it was considered that they would not have adequate funds to support themselves during their stay.

Players from Burundi, Cameroon, Nigeria, Zambia and Kenya have been ruled out of this month's event.

British officials said some players had failed to satisfy visa requirements.

The event, which involves street soccer teams from across the globe, takes place in Princes Street Gardens from 20-24 July.

Organisers said the African players were all set to leave for the four-a-side event but have now been stopped from doing so by British embassies in their respective countries.

To deny homeless people access to the UK on the basis that they are too poor is ridiculous Mel Young Tournament director

Tournament director Mel Young said the UK Government, which earlier this month hosted the G8 summit at Gleneagles, had failed the poverty-stricken players.

He said: "The G8 saw the British Government lead the way in discussing grand gestures and pledges for Africa.

"They have now missed an opportunity to lead the world in taking real action towards making poverty history and creating significant real change.

"The Homeless World Cup is designed to support and encourage people to transform their lives, to lift themselves from poverty and it has had significant success with 70% of players in the last two world cups going on to improve their situation.

'Serious questions'

"To deny homeless people access to the UK on the basis that they are too poor is ridiculous."

Mr Young said the controversy "raises some serious questions" about the government's pledges to fight poverty in Africa.

The Foreign Office said a number of players had failed to satisfy visa requirements and were unable to prove that they intended to leave the UK.