£10,000 raised in 2024 (Gofundme + Private donations)

Thank you very much for your support of Ukrainian teams FC Pidshypnyk (Boys 14) and FC Amazonka (Girls 13) for the 2024 Gothia Cup tournament (July 14-20) in Gothenburg, Sweden. In a tournament with over 1900 teams representing over 70 countries, these were the only two teams representing Ukraine. The kids had an unforgettable week and are truly thankful for the experience. Click here for a link to all the photos and videos we took throughout the week. 

With the rapid growth of the size of the Gothia Cup tournament, it was very hard to reserve spots for Ukrainian teams this year. Thankfully, due to our great relationship with the organization, they were generous enough to not only reserve two spots but also partially fund the journey for the two teams. The £10,000 you provided was precisely what was needed to pay the remaining expenses for the trip for FC Pidshypnyk and FC Amazonka. This funding enabled us to make the most of the opportunity and ensure that both teams could participate fully and have a great experience.

All the Ukrainian players and adult supervisors set out initially on a day-long bus ride from Lutsk, Ukraine to Gdynia, Poland. They then crossed the Baltic Sea to Karlskrona, Sweden on an overnight ferry. Once in Sweden, it was another five hours on the bus until they reached Gothenburg, the home ground of the Gothia Cup. Despite the exhausting journey, once in Gothenburg, the kids couldn't wait to explore what the city and the tournament event areas had to offer: they met kids from all over the globe, danced in public, and even had a beach day in the welcoming warm waters of Sweden (please watch videos from the album linked above to see all of these experiences). While enjoying the lovely tourist destination that is Gothenburg, the two teams also showed immense passion for the game of football in every match they played. The boys team (FC Pidshypnyk - boys 14) won 5/6 matches scoring 24 and conceding only 2 throughout the week—they finished 8/190 for their age group. The girls team (FC Amazonka - girls 13) finished in the top 4 for their age group (out of 54 teams)! They also won 5/6 games and scored 16 throughout the week conceding only 4. Needless to say, both teams performed incredibly well in both their respective tournaments!

All of this was only possible due to your generous support. We do not plan on stopping this campaign anytime soon. As such, we hope that you are able to see just how far your donations go and that you continue to stay active in the success we have achieved thus far. Your support is what makes dreams come true for dozens of young Ukrainian footballers every year.

Thank you so much for making so many Ukrainian kids’ dreams come true year after year,

Markus Algard and Matty Shulman