Soccer Aid is back on our screens this month with the popular football charity game set to raise even more money for UNICEF. Since it was launched in 2006, Soccer Aid has raised over £75 million for UNICEF – including the £15 million from last year’s match at the London Stadium. As ever, the event will see England take on the World XI FC, with former professional footballers and celebrities such as Danny Dyer, Tom Hiddleston and Usain Bolt lining up. The match will take place on Sunday, June 11 at 7.30pm and will be broadcast on ITV and STV, with a live stream available on ITVX. Old Trafford will be the venue for Soccer Aid 2023 for the eighth time in the competition’s history, and tickets remain on sale from the Soccer Aid website. Prices start from £10 for children and from £20 for adults.
England legend and Euro 2022 winner Jill Scott will become the first female to captain the England team in the history of Soccer Aid. Scott will be joined on the team by former England internationals such as Jack Wilshere, Gary Cahill, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville and Karen Carney, as well as celebrities Liam Payne, Sir Mo Farah, Paddy McGuinness, Tom Hiddleston and Bugzy Malone. The England management team will consist of Emma Hayes, Harry Redknapp, Vicky McClure, Stormzy and David Seaman. Eight-time Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt returns again to captain the World XI and he will be joined by the likes of Lee Mack, Steven Bartlett and Kem Cetinay, as well as former footballers such as Nani, Roberto Carlos, Ben Foster, Francesco Totti and Gabriel Batistuta. The World XI will be managed by new Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino.
The World XI emerged victorious in last year’s match to win the trophy for the fourth consecutive year. The game finished 2-2, with Mark Wright and Tom Grennan getting on the scoresheet for England, and Noah Beck and Cetinay the goalscorers for the World XI. In the shootout, Grennan and Russell Howard missed their penalties for England whilst the World XI scored all four of their attempts to lift the trophy once again. Soccer Aid 2023 kicks off on ITVX and STV on Sunday, June 11 at 7.30pm.