Game4Hope will now take place at Goodison Park on Saturday 26 September, bringing some of football’s biggest names and a host of Everton and Liverpool favourites back to the historic stadium for a star-studded charity match.
The inaugural fixture will raise funds and awareness in the fight against homelessness, with Tim Cahill’s Merseyside XI taking on a Rest of the World XI captained by Brazilian legend Rivaldo.
Kick-off remains at 4.45pm.
The move from Hill Dickinson Stadium to Goodison Park adds another special dimension to an event already bringing together an extraordinary collection of football legends, celebrities and music stars.
For former Everton players including Cahill, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, Gareth Barry, Louis Saha and Joleon Lescott, it will provide an opportunity to once again step out at the Grand Old Lady and play in front of supporters at a ground where they created so many memories.
Everton great Peter Reid and Liverpool legend John Barnes will jointly manage the Merseyside XI, bringing together two figures synonymous with opposite sides of one of football’s greatest city rivalries.
For Reid, Goodison Park was the setting for some of the defining moments of his career.
A central figure in Everton’s hugely successful side of the 1980s, Reid helped the Blues win the 1984 FA Cup, League Championships in 1985 and 1987 and the 1985 European Cup Winners’ Cup.
He was also at the heart of one of Goodison’s most celebrated European nights as Everton defeated Bayern Munich on their way to lifting the Cup Winners’ Cup.
Barnes experienced Goodison from the other side of the Merseyside divide during a decade as one of Liverpool’s greatest players.
The former England international scored four times against Everton, including in the famous 4-4 FA Cup draw at Goodison Park in 1991.
This time, rather than standing on opposite sides of the rivalry, Reid and Barnes will share the Goodison dugout and unite Everton and Liverpool greats for a cause bigger than football.
There will also be a sense of history for two of the biggest names in the Rest of the World XI.
Brazilian World Cup winners Rivaldo and Cafu will return to Goodison Park more than 30 years after Brazil played at the stadium during the 1995 Umbro Cup, when they faced Japan.
They will be joined in the Rest of the World squad by international stars including Clarence Seedorf, Jaap Stam, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Mustapha Hadji and Des Walker.
Football will be just one part of a packed day of entertainment, with supporters also able to enjoy live music, celebrity appearances, family activities and entertainment throughout the event.
Chart-topping artist Tinie Tempah will provide the half-time entertainment.
Stars from the worlds of television, film and sport will also take part, including Tony Bellew, Roman Kemp, Molly McCann, James Nelson-Joyce, Big Zuu, Liam Smith and Still Ryan.
Ted Lasso actors Toheeb Jimoh and Moe Hashim, former boxing world champion Johnny Nelson and Gladiators star Nitro are also due to appear.
At the heart of Game4Hope is an issue far bigger than football.
The event will raise funds and awareness for Everton in the Community and Shelter, supporting their work with people experiencing, or at risk of, homelessness across Merseyside and beyond.
Game4Hope aims to bring Blues, Reds and football supporters from across the region together for an afternoon of football and entertainment while using the power of the game to highlight homelessness and the challenges facing communities across the country.
Existing Game4Hope ticket holders
Supporters who have already purchased tickets or Premium packages for Game4Hope at Hill Dickinson Stadium do not need to take any action at this stage.
Everton’s Fan Centre and Premium teams will contact existing purchasers directly with further information about revised ticketing and package arrangements for the event at Goodison Park.
Tickets for Game4Hope at Goodison Park are available through Everton’s official ticketing website.
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