BEST FOOT FORWARD FOR SHOWFORCE AT SOCCER AID 2019

When this year’s Soccer Aid was held at Stamford Bridge on Sunday 16th June, Showforce was on-hand to provide crewing support to Event 360, the company responsible for the event’s sports presentation production. Soccer Aid has raised over £20 million in aid of UNICEF UK, through ticket sales and donations from the public since the charity event began in 2006. The friendly-style football match between England and the Soccer Aid Word Elven (WXI) sees teams of celebrities and former professional football players take to the pitch.

This year’s event saw Sam Allardyce manage the England side with the assistance of GMB presenter Susannah Reid and Harry Redknapp leading the WXI with Reid’s co-presenter Piers Morgan. Celebrities for England included Mark Wright, Sir Mo Farah, Ben Shepherd, Marvin Humes and Joe Wicks whilst the WXI side included Niall Horan, Usian Bolt, Kem Cetinay and Nicky Byrne.

A team of 40 Showforce crew assisted with the stage build for the half time entertainment which saw Rita Ora perform. The stage was constructed of five pieces which the crew had to wheel onto the pitch and assemble in front of the huge crowd and live TV audiences as home, all under the careful direction of Event 360’s stage managers. In addition, the crew wheeled lighting towers onto the pitch for the show. There was also a small crew supplied to Heart Productions who laid the red carpet and installed sponsor branding.

In the end WXI took home the trophy following a penalty shootout with the event raising over £6.7 million for UNICEF UK.