Soccer Aid For Unicef Announces New Principal Partners 

Soccer Aid for Unicef 2020, which returns this September at Old Trafford behind closed doors, has announced Puma, Primark, JD Sports and TikTok as Principal Partners for the match that will be broadcast exclusively live on ITV and STV.

Short-form mobile video platform, TikTok will feature on the Soccer Aid World XI FC shirt sleeves, as well as on the LED perimeter boards during the match. More broadly, a creative campaign between TikTok and Soccer Aid for Unicef will run in the weeks leading up to the match designed to engage fans and bring them closer to the action. Further details on this will be confirmed in due course.

Rich Waterworth, General Manager UK, TikTok, said: “Soccer Aid for Unicef has become a mainstay in the sports entertainment calendar and at TikTok we are really looking forward to supporting the event.

“The match brings together some of the most recognisable celebrity and football talent around and is always hugely popular. As the game is being played behind closed doors this year, fans will be able to get as close to the action as possible with a hashtag challenge and behind the scenes content through our LIVE function.”

As Principal Partner for Soccer Aid for Unicef 2020, Primark is donating £100,000 to support UNICEF’s work helping children and families impacted by Coronavirus. For the third match running, Puma will provide the Soccer Aid World XI FC kit.

Kenneth Shepherd, Executive Director, Soccer Aid Productions, said: “We are delighted to welcome Puma, Primark, JD Sports and TikTok as Soccer Aid for Unicef 2020 Principal Partners – they are all leaders in their respective fields. Not only will our Partners help to raise global awareness of our event but also add creatively to the overall marketing campaign in the run-up to the match.

“Details on the more creative elements will be announced shortly but suffice to say, we are hoping to bring fans as close to the match as possible digitally given they can’t join us this year. Finally, I would like to underline that the support and generosity of our Partners is invaluable and working with them allows us to raise important funds for Unicef.”

This partnership news follows the first set of players who will take part in September’s behind-closed-doors’ game.

Comedian Jason Manford, rapper Santan Dave and Manchester United legend Patrice Evra will all make their debuts for the Soccer Aid World XI FC.

Kelly Smith MBE – who was capped over 100 times for England and represented Great Britain at the London 2012 Summer Olympics – is also playing for the first time. Goalkeeper David James, a Premier League stalwart, will join Kelly in representing England.

Joe Wicks is also confirmed to play and Olly Murs returns to the fold following the knee surgery which ruled him out of the 2019 match. Kem Cetinay, who scored a wonder-goal at last year’s Stamford Bridge clash, is also returning to pull on the Soccer Aid World XI FC shirt once again.

ITV family favourite Dermot O’Leary will present the live show with Kirsty Gallagher returning as pitch side reporter. The exact date and time of the programme will be announced in due course.

This year, for the first-time in the match’s history, the UK government and Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, will both match public donations to Soccer Aid for Unicef, meaning every £1 donated becomes £3 – up to £3 million – until 6 Oct 2020.

Since 2006, Soccer Aid for Unicef has raised over £38m to help give children all over the world a childhood full of play. Soccer Aid for Unicef 2019 raised a record breaking £7.9m.

Visit socceraid.org.uk for more information

Image: Soccer Aid