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Soccer Aid: Fundraising event will now be a Fifa 20 contest!

teamsImage source, Soccer AID

It's summer which usually means one special pro-celeb tournament!

Soccer Aid brings celebrities and football stars to play together to raise money for the international children's charity Unicef.

But, due to coronavirus, this year's match on 6 June couldn't go ahead as planned - so the stars are having to head online.

Big names like Robbie Williams, Usain Bolt, Maya Jama and Liam Payne will still be taking part - but this year's Soccer Aid will be an eSoccer Aid!

A live Fifa 20 tournament is being held on Saturday 27 June, from 5pm, to raise money for Unicef to help stop the spread of coronavirus and limit the impact of the virus on children's lives.

Image source, Soccer Aid

I'm excited to be able to captain the side again, albeit in a slightly different setting... I can't wait to get going in eSoccer Aid for Unicef playing with the team.

— Usain Bolt, World XI captain

Who's involved?

The matches include the two captains for the day - Usain Bolt against Robbie Williams - and the Voice UK judge Olly Murs will play radio DJ Roman Kemp. An all-footballer clash is also set to be announced in the coming days.

Maya Jama, Iain Stirling and Laura Whitmore, will be the hosts.

EA Sports is also making a Soccer Aid World XI FC team playable in Fifa 20's kick-off mode featuring some of the biggest names who have taken part in the celebrity-charity football match over the years.

Image source, EA SPORTS
Image caption,

A Soccer Aid World XI team - including legends like Ronaldinho - will be playable on Fifa 20

How will it work?

Eight live-streamed matches will take place, with players representing either England or the World XI, just like the usual match.

Players contest matches individually but their results will count to the overall score - and that will decide which team wins.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Didier Drogba snaps a selfie as the Rest of the World team celebrate their penalty win in 2019

Since 2006, Soccer Aid for Unicef has raised over £38m.

2019's Soccer Aid raised a record-breaking £7.9m and took place at Stamford Bridge with England narrowly missing out to the World XI on penalties.

Olly Murs said: "It's always a pleasure to be called up to do my bit for Soccer Aid for Unicef and it's great to be able to come together online this weekend... reckon I'm gonna give Roman a run for his money, so watch out, mate - I'm planning on bringing home that win for England!"