Clarence Seedorf to headline Game4theChildren charity match at Birmingham’s St Andrew’s

Four-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf will lead a group of former professionals and celebrities in a charity match at Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s on Oct. 11, organisers announced Monday, a game intended to raise money and awareness for children experiencing homelessness.

The event, called Game4theChildren, will feature Arsenal ‘Invincible’ goalkeeper Jens Lehmann alongside retired players including Gaël Clichy, Rachel Yankey, Des Walker, Mark Noble and Louis Saha, and entertainment figures such as actor Packy Lee and reality TV contestant Adam Collard. Proceeds will go to the homeless charity Shelter and the Birmingham City Foundation.

Seedorf said he has long used sport as a means to contribute to society. "I’ve been committed in giving back to society my whole life, by using sport as a tool to make the world a better place," he said in a statement. "Sport is a catalyst for creating a more inclusive, peaceful, equitable and responsible society. Initiatives like Game4theChildren are more than welcome and effective and I’m happy to contribute with my presence."

Organisers Legends, who coordinated previous charity fixtures such as Game4Grenfell and Game4Ukraine as well as the Sir Bobby Robson Trophy, said the match will be broadcast internationally. Birmingham City’s chief executive Jeremy Dale said the fixture aims to shine a light on child homelessness while supporting local delivery through the club’s foundation. "Child homelessness is a societal issue that is constantly around us," Dale said. "By using the power of football and entertainment we can shine a spotlight on the scale of the issue, while at the same time celebrate the great work that many people are already doing in this area to help improve lives."

Government figures released in the last year show nearly 170,000 children in England are homeless or living in temporary accommodation. Shelter said that without urgent action that figure could rise to around 206,000 by 2029. The charities named as beneficiaries said funds from the match would help frontline services and targeted projects for children in the West Midlands and across the UK.

Birmingham, owned by American investment firm Knighthead with NFL star Tom Brady listed as a minority owner, said it hopes revenue from the game will allow the club’s charity arm to reach some of the city’s most deprived areas. Tickets are on sale now, priced at £30 for adults, £20 for seniors and young adults and £10 for juniors. General admission and hospitality packages are available via https://game4thechildren.com/tickets.

Organisers said additional player announcements will be made in the coming weeks. For further information about the event, organisers directed the public to https://game4thechildren.com.

The fixture continues a recent trend of high-profile charity matches that pair former professionals with celebrities to raise funds and public attention for social causes, while using established club stadia to host high-capacity events and broadcast them to wider audiences.

Game4theChildren is scheduled to take place at St Andrew’s @ Knighthead Park and will bring together former internationals, Premier League figures and entertainment personalities for a single fixture aimed at generating donations and public engagement around the issue of child homelessness.