EFDN Members SL Benfica and Swedish Professional Football Leagues use football for peace

EFDN Members SL Benfica and Swedish Professional Football Leagues use football for peace

Several EFDN members stood up and sent out peaceful messages to support Ukraine during these past couple of days. We highlight here some exemples of network members.

Swedish Football Association

Due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Swedish Football Association, the Association of Swedish Elite Football, Elite Football Women, Ettan Football, the Swedish Football Supporters Union (SFSU) and all elite clubs in the Allsvenskan, OBOS Damallsvenskan, Superettan and Elitettan all start a fundraiser for the benefit of Ukraine and the Ukrainian people.

”The war in Ukraine affects us all. We all experience being close to the war in some way, both geographically and emotionally, and in our leagues we have players who have personally been affected by the Russian invasion. As football brings people together we want to take as much responsibility we can by starting a fundraiser for war victims in Ukraine.”

Swedish Football Association

UNHCR is working on-site in Ukraine with emergency aid and shelter. With everyone’s help, they can do an even better job for all war victims in the country.

SL Benfica

The Benfica-Vitoria de Guimaraes match, on matchday 24 of the Bwin League, was much more than a match; it was a gigantic tribute, an immeasurable hug from Sport Lisboa e Benfica and everyone at the Estádio da Luz to Yaremchuk, to him and to his Ukraine, which is suffering from the armed conflict that is shaking the world.

On Sunday, while the Benfica players took to the pitch wearing Ukrainian colours, Yaremchuk was given the captain’s armband when he entered the match and was thunderously applauded to the point of tears.