Some of football’s biggest international stars are coming together in Lisbon this September for the Legends Charity Game, a special event to raise money for communities affected by war and local conflicts around the world.
The match is happening on Monday, September 15, just before the SBC Summit Lisbon. It’s set to be an exciting clash between Portugal Legends and World Legends, with legendary footballers from around the globe playing in front of a massive crowd of 60,000 fans, plus millions more watching online and on TV.
Backed by the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF), the game’s goal is to raise over €1 million for selected charities that support families and communities facing serious challenges.
Leading the Portugal Legends will be Luis Figo, a former Ballon d’Or winner and football icon. He shared his excitement: “It’s always a pleasure to come back to my country and play football, especially when wearing the national team colours! Hope to see a full stadium in my hometown Lisbon for this amazing Legends Charity Game and raise funds for important charity causes.”
Figo will be joined by fellow Euro 2016 winners Ricardo Quaresma, Eliseu, and Ricardo Carvalho, along with Champions League stars Fábio Coentrão, Maniche, Hugo Almeida, Vitor Baia, José Bosingwa, and Deco. Other well-known Portuguese names like Beto, Jorge Andrade, Dani, Tiago Mendes, Hélder Postiga, Nuno Gomes, and Simão will also be part of the squad. They’ll be coached by Costinha, another Champions League winner.
The World Legends team is equally impressive, featuring top footballers from around the globe: Peter Schmeichel (Denmark), Cafu (Brazil), Javier Zanetti (Argentina), Diego Lugano (Uruguay), Leonardo Bonucci (Italy), Gaizka Mendieta (Spain), Youri Djorkaeff and Christian Karambeu (France), Marek Hamsik (Slovakia), Giorgos Karagounis (Greece), Krassimir Balakov (Bulgaria), Gheorghe Hagi (Romania), Edwin van der Sar (Netherlands), Henrik Larsson (Sweden), Shota Arveladze (Georgia), Javier Saviola (Argentina), and Ronaldinho (Brazil).
The game will take place at either Estádio da Luz (Benfica’s stadium) or José Alvalade Stadium (Sporting Lisbon’s stadium). The exact venue will be revealed in August, alongside the Champions League schedule.
All money raised will support charities in Portugal and abroad. One of the main beneficiaries is the Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS), which provides life-saving support to people affected by the ongoing war in Ukraine, helping with evacuations, emergency aid, shelter, and more.
Maksym Dotsenko, Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross, shared: “The war in Ukraine continues, and unfortunately, millions of people still need support every day. We have no right to stop. Initiatives like the Legends Charity Game are not just about the funds raised. They are about compassion, and the understanding that the world stands by us. They are about solidarity that transforms into real help for those going through the toughest times. We are grateful to everyone who takes part.”
Another charity partner is Cáritas Portuguesa, a Lisbon-based organization supporting marginalized communities dealing with poverty and a lack of emergency resources.
Rasmus Sojmark, Founder and CEO of SBC, said: “We are taking our charitable endeavours up a notch this year with the spectacular football match in order to raise a lot of money for some very worthy causes. By tying the match in with the SBC Summit in Lisbon the same week, we have found a way for the communities around football and business to help other communities that are facing unimaginable hardships.”
You can get your tickets now at www.legendscharitygame.com. Tickets are managed by See Tickets, and there are still opportunities for sponsorship and hospitality packages to support the cause. Some of the sponsors already on board include iGP, Soft2Bet, Sportingtech, Vegas Legends, Spribe, SmartSoft, and Alea.
The event is run by the Sport Global Charitable Foundation, under the guidance of Prism the Gift Fund, a UK-registered charity. All profits from the game will go to support the Foundation’s chosen charities, including the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and Caritas Portugal.
For more information:
Marketing – Thomas Rasmussen: [email protected]
Sponsorship – Rasmus Sojmark: [email protected]
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