Clubs invited to host Match Against Poverty

Top-flight clubs from UEFA's 53 member associations are invited to submit proposals by 22 June to host the 10th Match Against Poverty, organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and supported by UEFA.

This popular annual event is staged by the UNDP in partnership with UNDP goodwill ambassadors Ronaldo and Zinédine Zidane. The primary objective of the Match Against Poverty is to showcase the Millennium Development Goals, to launch new partnerships in support of achieving these objectives and to mobilise resources to be used in support of projects that have a direct impact on poverty reduction.

The match provides an opportunity for the host country – from its citizens, through its private sector, to the government – to unite in support of solutions to global poverty.

The Match Against Poverty was first proposed by Goodwill Ambassadors Ronaldo and Zidane in 2003 in collaboration with the UNDP Geneva Office.

Matches Against Poverty have so far taken place in Basel (December 2003), Madrid (December 2004), Dusseldorf (December 2005), Marseille (March 2007), Malaga (November 2007), Fez, Morocco (November 2008), Lisbon (January 2010) Athens (December 2010), and Hamburg (December 2011).

Prior to 2010, the matches featured friends of Ronaldo against friends of Zidane, but a new formula was introduced at the Lisbon game, in which a host club was invited to organise and sponsor the match. Thus Ronaldo, Zidane and friends took on an all-star SL Benfica team in January 2010, with an Olympiacos FC and Hamburger SV selections facing the ambassadors' team in the most recent editions in Athens and Hamburg.

Further details can be found here

The deadline for proposals is 22 June 2012.

For any further information, please contact: Aziyadé Poltier-Mutal, aziyade.poltier@undp.org | tel: +41 22 917 8368 mobile: +41 79 349 1610