Stars sign up for Match Against Poverty

Cafu, Fabien Barthez, Clarence Seedorf and Edwin van der Sar are among the personalities who have confirmed that they will join Zinédine Zidane and Ronaldo at the 12th Annual Match Against Poverty, organised in partnership with UEFA, which will take place at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard in Saint-Etienne, France, on Monday 20 April (kick-off 20.00CET).

Football legends and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassadors Zidane and Ronaldo will team up with other footballing luminaries for a match against an AS Saint-Étienne all-star XI to help boost Ebola recovery efforts.

Former world-class referee Pierluigi Collina will officiate at the game for the tenth time. "It is an honour for me to be on the pitch together with so many great players to make a contribution to the fight against Ebola," the Italian said. "I am sure it will be a memorable night for all who attend the match in Saint-Etienne as they will have the opportunity to enjoy a football gala as well as to donate something to a highly valuable initiative."

UNDP will receive two-thirds of the match proceeds, which will go towards helping the hardest-hit countries of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone recover from the epidemic, while the remaining third will go to the club's Association ASSE Coeur-Vert, which supports social projects in Saint-Etienne.

The first greats to confirm that they will play in the Zidane, Ronaldo & Friends team are Barthez, Cafu, Seedorf, Van der Sar, Éric Abidal, Robert Pirès and Youri Djorkaeff.

Former and current St-Étienne players will feature on the AS Saint-Étienne all-star side, including definite attendees Jérémie Janot, Pascal Feindouno, Lionel Potillon, Ľubomír Moravčík, Julien Sablé and Laurent Batlles. St-Étienne coach Christophe Galtier will take charge of the team. More top international and St-Étienne names are expected to confirm in the coming days.

Zidane and Ronaldo have been the driving force behind the fixture since its inception in 2003. Eleven successful editions have been staged in Basel, Madrid, Dusseldorf, Marseille, Malaga, Fez, Lisbon, Athens, Hamburg, Porto Alegre and Berne. Each year, the funds raised assist specific projects in different countries dealing with difficult challenges.

"I am sure this edition of the Match Against Poverty will once again be a success," said UEFA President Michel Platini. "I know, first hand, how much people in the city of Saint-Etienne love football, and I am sure they will fill the stadium and create a fantastic atmosphere for the legends who will be showcasing their skills on the pitch."

Ticket prices for the game range from €8 to €12, and are on sale online and at ticket counters at the Stade Geoffroy-Guichard (14 rue Paul et Pierre Guichard, 42000 Saint-Etienne).