Preview: Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2026
Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2026 takes place at the London Stadium this Sunday, as football’s biggest celebrity match celebrates its 20th anniversary – and this year, FotMob is the Official Live Score partner of the annual charity showpiece. Here, we reflect on the history of Soccer Aid and look ahead to this weekend’s encounter.
By Tom Hancock
A history of Soccer Aid for UNICEF in numbers
15
This will be the 15th edition of Soccer Aid for UNICEF, the first game having taken place back in 2006 at Old Trafford. Held biennially until 2018, Soccer Aid has been a yearly event since 2019.
As ever, the contest pits an England Aid XI against a Soccer Aid World XI (Rest of the World until 2016), with celebrities and former players representing both sides. The World XI are the reigning champions and have the edge overall, with eight wins to England’s six to date.
9
Paddy McGuinness holds the record for the most Soccer Aid appearances, having featured nine times over the years. The TV presenter and comedian, known for shows such as Take Me Out and A Question of Sport, is involved once again this time around.
David Seaman and Robbie Keane are tied on eight for the most Soccer Aid appearances by former footballers.
5
Two players are tied on a record five Soccer Aid goals: Love Island 2017 winner Kem Cetinay and ex-England striker Jermain Defoe, the latter of whom will play this year.
Defoe has scored in each of the last two editions of Soccer Aid but was almost caught by Carlos Tevez last year, the former Manchester City and Manchester United star bagging four goals – the most in a single edition – as the World XI recorded a thrilling 5-4 win, finishing with an all-time high FotMob rating of 9.9.
13
Singer Olly Murs has played in seven Soccer Aids but has yet to find the net. His total of 13 shots is the highest without scoring a Soccer Aid goal.
Murs is in the England squad once more for 2026; will it be a case of eighth-time lucky for the 2009 The X Factor runner-up.
5.14
You’re pretty much guaranteed to see the net ripple over and over again at Soccer Aid, with the 14 matches to date averaging 5.14 goals between the two teams – and the last two both seeing nine goals scored. In fact, only once have there been fewer than three goals in the game: in 2020, when England won 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Goalkeepers can be expected to face a lot of shots, then – though none have kept as many out as Julio Cesar, the ex-Brazil man making a Soccer Aid-high seven saves in 2019.
5.93
The highest Expected Goals (xG) tally on record at Soccer Aid is a whopping 5.93 by England on their way to a 3-2 win in 2016 – during which they had 31 shots. TV personality Mark Wright opened the scoring before Jermain Defoe bagged an ultimately decisive brace.
England also posted the lowest Soccer Aid xG output on record: 0.68 as they lost 4-2 in 2023.
16
Actor Owen Cooper is poised to become the youngest player in Soccer Aid history, having only turned 16 in December.
Assuming he plays, the Adolescence star will smash the record currently held by fellow actor Chris Fountain – who made his Soccer Aid debut in 2008 aged 21.
1
TV presenter Ben Shephard holds the ignominious honour of being the only player ever to be sent off in Soccer Aid.
A veteran of seven Soccer Aids, Shephard was shown a red card for a second bookable offence in 2016 by ex-Premier League referee Howard Webb.
Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2026 Preview
Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2026 will see the usual array of celebrity faces and former professional footballers take to the pitch.
Among the stars representing England are ex-pros Steph Houghton, Sol Campbell and Wayne Rooney, singer Olly Murs, and actors Tom Hiddleston and Damson Idris. Members of the World XI squad include Edwin van der Sar, Clarence Seedorf and Lukas Podolski, alongside the likes of actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Westlife member Nicky Byrne and legendary jockey Frankie Dettori. Full squads are available in the line up tab for the game.
Likewise, in the dugout, former Tottenham and Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp will manage England, with eight-time Olympic champion Usain Bolt taking charge of the World XI – having captained the team on five previous occasions.
A number of players will make their Soccer Aid debut this year. As well as the aforementioned Owen Cooper, ex-England rugby union international Joe Marler, Irish actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd – who have been named as goalkeepers for England and the World XI respectively – Euro 2012 winner Jordi Alba and two-time Women’s World Cup champion Ali Krieger are all gearing up for their first taste of Soccer Aid.
Meanwhile, one active player is set to take part: former Man Utd and Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic, who made 34 Serie A appearances this season for Sassuolo.
England are chasing just their second win in eight editions of Soccer Aid – and their first at the London Stadium, having triumphed at Old Trafford four times, and Wembley and Stamford Bridge once apiece. The World XI have been victorious at all four of those grounds, as well as the Etihad Stadium.
The referee for Soccer Aid 2026 has yet to be announced, though ex-EFL official Rebecca Welch has overseen the last two editions.
(Images from IMAGO)
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