ritish YouTubers Sidemen will soon be playing their fifth charity football match. Football fans can look forward to the likes of KSI, W2S and Miniminter joining forces with some of the biggest names across YouTube, music and sport.
Last year’s Sidemen charity match raised the sum of £1,074,379 and was donated to Teenage Cancer Trust (40%), CALM (40%), Rays of Sunshine (10%) and M7 Education (10%).
The event was held at the Valley stadium, home of League One football team Charlton Athletic, for the fourth time after a two-year break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Sidemen FC and YouTube All-Stars played against each other, with Sidemen winning 8-7.
This year is set to be even bigger, with 62,000 spectators expected.
Joshua Bradley from Sidemen, known as Zerkaa, said: “This is a major milestone for us. When we first set up this event back in 2016, we never thought we’d be playing in a stadium of over 62,000 people.
“Not only are we able to give back to our loyal fans but being able to raise further funds for charities that are so close to our hearts gives us a lot to be proud and thankful for. We can’t wait to see all of you in September,” he added.
Graham Gilmore, CEO of London Stadium, commented. He said: “This event goes from strength to strength, with the move to London Stadium demonstrating the success The Sidemen have built over recent years, not only in bringing so many great names together but raising money for important charities too.
“In addition, we will be delighted to welcome the huge global audience on streaming and digital channels, who will be joining the 60k plus fans in the Stadium!”
What is the Sidemen charity match?
The Sidemen charity match is a football match that has taken place for four years, spearheaded by the popular UK YouTube group Sidemen. The match raises money for charity.
The fixture will take place on Saturday September 9 at West Ham United’s London Stadium, confirmed Sam Uwins, who manages the British YouTube group.
This year’s line-up hasn’t been announced but last year stars such as Yung Filly, Chunkz and Cal the Dragon played in the YouTube All Stars team.
British rapper Aitch will also be making an appearance, where he will be performing at the halftime show this year.
Which charity are they playing for?
This year, proceeds from the match will go to CALM, Teenage Cancer Trust and Rays of Sunshine.
All profits from the sale of their Nike Sidemen Home Shirt will also go towards their grand total.
How to watch the Sidemen charity match 2023
Details for the live broadcast haven’t yet been confirmed, though last year’s edition was streamed via Sidemen’s YouTube channel for free.