23 December 2016 – Unicef UK can today announce that Soccer Aid 2016, broadcast exclusively on ITV, has raised a record-breaking £6.6 million for its life-saving work for children.

Thanks to the generous support of the UK public and ITV viewers, and the UK Government matching all public donations pound for pound, this figure has smashed previous records set by the biennial event.

Soccer Aid 2016 took place at a packed out Old Trafford on 5th June 2016 and was broadcast live on ITV. The match saw celebrities and football legends come together for the tenth anniversary of the star-studded event to play an enthralling game of football whilst raising vital funds for Unicef, the world’s leading children’s organisation.

A crowd of almost 70,000 turned out at Old Trafford to witness England defeat Rest of the World 3-2 in another pulsating encounter between the two sides. Unicef UK Ambassadors Robbie Williams and Michael Sheen once again went head to head under the management of Jose Mourinho and Claudio Ranieri, and were joined by star players including Olly Murs, Jack Whitehall, Man of the Match Mark Wright, Louis Tomlinson, Gareth Thomas, Matthew Morrison, Sir AP McCoy, Iwan Rheon and Niall Horan.

Throughout the match short films were broadcast presented by Unicef Ambassadors and supporters, Eddie Izzard, Nicole Scherzinger, Tinie Tempah, Olivia Colman and Keeley Hawes showing Unicef’s work to protect children in danger around the world.

Robbie Williams, Unicef UK Ambassador and co-founder of Soccer Aid said: “We said we wanted to smash our fundraising record for Unicef and we did it! Thank you so much to everyone who came to the match or donated on the night; you helped make it the biggest and best Soccer Aid so far. In the ten years since Soccer Aid began we’ve raised £24 million for Unicef so they can help keep even more children safe. That’s incredible and something we could only dream of when Soccer Aid began all those years ago.”

Michael Sheen, Unicef UK Ambassador and Rest of the World captain added: “What a match! I admit I was disappointed England snatched the trophy back from Rest of the World this year, but Soccer Aid is about so much more than football. Thanks to the generosity of the public and the UK government matching donations pound for pound, this year’s event raised more than ever and really will help Unicef make a difference to children’s lives.”

The money raised through Soccer Aid 2016 will help Unicef to improve health and nutrition for over 1.2 million women and children in Zimbabwe, Myanmar and Ethiopia, as well as providing children all over the world with life-saving food, vaccines and clean water, and protecting them from violence, exploitation and abuse.

International Development Secretary Priti Patel said: “I am enormously proud that the British public responded with characteristic generosity to this year’s Soccer Aid appeal. By matching all public donations pound for pound, the UK has helped Unicef break all their previous records and raise £6.6 million. This will help protect more than one million women and children in Zimbabwe, Myanmar and Ethiopia from severe malnutrition and life-threatening diseases and help show extreme poverty the red card.”

Soccer Aid was produced by Initial, part of Endemol Shine Group and was broadcast live on ITV on Sunday 5th June 2016. Over the last ten years the six Soccer Aid events have raised over £24 million for Unicef’s work for children.

-ENDS-

For more information:
Unicef: Helen Wylie, [email protected] 020 7375 6258
ITV: Ben Webster, [email protected] 020 7157 3029
Endemol Shine: [email protected] 0208 222 4994 / [email protected] 0202 222 4322

Squads

England Management: Jose Mourinho, Sam Allardyce, Robbie Williams (Asst Manager), Bradley Walsh (Coach), Rui Faria (Coach), Vic Bettinelli (GK Coach)
Celebrities: Louis Tomlinson, Olly Murs, Paddy McGuinness, Ben Shephard, Jack Whitehall, John Bishop, Mark Wright, Jonathan Wilkes, Marvin Humes, Jamie Theakston, Danny Jones. Legends: Jamie Carragher, Robbie Fowler, Phil Neville, Sol Campbell, David Seaman (GK), Kieron Dyer, Jermaine Defoe, Danny Murphy

Rest of the World Management: Claudio Ranieri, Craig Shakespeare (Asst Manager) Niall Horan (Asst Manager), Mike Stowell (GK Coach)
Celebrities: Michael Sheen, Gordon Ramsay, Nicky Byrne, Rickie Haywood-Williams, Patrick Kielty, Matthew Morrison, Sir AP McCoy, Sergio Pizzorno, Shayne Ward, Sean Fletcher, Iwan Rheon, Thom Evans
Legends: Dida (GK), Cafu, Jaap Stam, Fabio Cannavaro, Dimitar Berbatov, Edgar Davids, Samuel Eto’o, Ronaldinho

About Unicef

Unicef is the world’s leading organisation for children, promoting the rights and wellbeing of every child, in everything we do. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Unicef UK raises funds to protect children in danger, transform their lives and build a safer world for tomorrow’s children.  As a registered charity we raise funds through donations from individuals, organisations and companies and we lobby and campaign to keep children safe. Unicef UK also runs programmes in schools, hospitals and with local authorities in the UK. For more information please visit unicef.org.uk

About ITV Responsibility

ITV is committed to continuing to grow its business in a responsible and transparent way whilst harnessing the power of the nation’s most-loved and most-watched programmes to create long-term change for good.

As a broadcaster at the heart of popular culture, ITV has the opportunity to use its reach to millions of people, to have a positive impact on society.

The ITV Responsibility strategy focuses on three pillars: People, Planet and Partnerships.

People – To reflect modern society through our programmes, workforce and services, ensuring we’re relevant and accessible to all.

Planet – To increase awareness of environmental sustainability through our programmes whilst reducing the environmental impact of our operations.

Partnerships – To harness the power of our programmes and empower our people to make a difference to communities and causes.

Through on-air appeals and campaigns like Soccer Aid, along with more localised support through community engagement and volunteering, ITV is committed to inspiring, engaging and empowering stakeholders to make a difference.

In 2015 more than 30 hours of airtime was dedicated to charitable causes through campaigns and more than £37 million contributed to charitable causes through cash, in-kind support and public donations.

For more information about ITV’s Corporate Responsibility commitments and activities visit itvresponsibility.com

About Endemol Shine UK

Endemol Shine UK is behind a diverse range of hits including Big Brother, Black Mirror, Benidorm, Broadchurch, Deal or No Deal, Fortitude, Grantchester, Humans, Masterchef, Mr. Bean, One Born Every Minute, Peaky Blinders, Pointless, Sunday Brunch, The Fall, The Island, Would I Lie to You?, 8 out of 10 Cats and many more.

Labels within the UK Group include Artists Studio, Bandit Television, Brown Eyed Boy, Cave Bear Productions, Douglas Road, DSP, Dragonfly, Fifty Fathoms, House of Tomorrow, Initial, Kudos, Princess Productions, Remarkable Television, Sidney Street, Shine TV, Tiger Aspect, Tigress and Zeppotron.

Endemol Shine UK also incorporates talent agencies Flipside and OP Talent, shortform content producer Electric Robin, as well as Endemol Shine Beyond, whose successes include international formats such as Legends of Gaming, Rule’m Sports and lifestyle brand ICON.

The company is part of Endemol Shine Group – the global content creator, producer and distributor with creative operations in over 30 markets, with a portfolio of over 600 revenue generating formats across scripted and non-scripted genres; coupled with digital, gaming, and distribution operations.