£20,000 raised in 2023 (Gofundme + Private donations)
Thank you very much for your support of Ukrainian teams FC Pidshypnyk (Boys 13) and FC Legion (Girls 14) for the 2023 Gothia Cup tournament (July 16-22) in Gothenburg. In a tournament with over 1900 teams representing over 80 countries, these were the only two teams representing Ukraine. The kids had an absolutely amazing week and are very grateful for the experience. Click here for a link to all the photos and videos we took throughout the week.
I watched one of the games myself, and I was very impressed by the comradary between the two teams. Despite not having met before the tournament, they supported each other with flag waving, chants, and cheers.
I was very touched by how truly grateful the kids were for the trip. Being in a country where life is mostly normal was a great change for them. I learned from some of the kids’ parents that air raid sirens often interrupted their team practices as they go off almost daily. You could tell how much it meant to everyone to be in a safe country for the week without sirens or other scares. They would come up to me every chance they got to say thank you, even if they were shy. One kid even gifted me a handmade bracelet as an expression of gratitude.
Additionally, there was lots of media coverage of the two teams ranging from articles by Gothia Cup to a local Swedish radio segment to a 5-minute-long segment on Channel 4 Swedish television. All of the links are below.
All of this was possible due to your generous support.
Thank you so much for making this so many Ukrainian kids’ dreams come true,
Markus Algard
Gothia Cup post (March) (English)
Opening Ceremony Video (48:10-49:00)
Gothia Cup post FC Pidshypnyk (Boys 13) (English)
Gothia Cup post FC Legion (Girls 14) (English)
Swedish Radio story (Ukrainian and English)
Swedish TV interview (Swedish and English)