Celtic FC Foundation, the charitable arm of Celtic FC, is delighted to announce that it is making a £4,000 donation to the Homeless World Cup so that Ukraine can send a team to this year’s tournament in Sacramento.

Working alongside the Homeless World Cup Foundation, and four other SPFL clubs, the donation will cover travel for eight players and two members of the Ukrainian management team to compete in the 18th edition of the Homeless World Cup, being held in the US for the first time in its 20-year history.

The Homeless World Cup is an annual, world-class, international football tournament. Every year, teams of men and women who are homeless or have experienced homelessness get the chance to represent their country during the tournament.

Celtic FC Foundation Chief Executive, Tony Hamilton, said: “Working with the homeless community is a regular feature of what we do here, and we are delighted that we can assist with this in some small way.

“Football is universal, and the Homeless World Cup is everything good about the game that we all love. I hope this year’s event in the USA is a great success for everyone involved.”

Mel Young, co-founder and Homeless World Cup President, said: “The Homeless World Cup uses football to inspire and demonstrate the power of sport in changing people’s lives and this story is a true testament to that approach.

“Travelling to an international tournament is always a challenge for our Member Countries, raising the necessary funds and navigating the various issues in applying for visas for example, it’s a nerve-wracking process for a team, but with the ongoing war with Russia in Ukraine, the experience has heightened levels of emotion and logistics for our member county in Ukraine.

“All five clubs from Scotland didn’t hesitate when asked to help our Ukrainian partner with their journey and we are incredibly grateful for their support in making this dream a reality to those players who will represent Ukraine on the international stage in Sacramento this July.”

The Sacramento 2023 Homeless World Cup will take place from Saturday 8th July – Saturday 15th July 2023 at California State University, Sacramento. As well as the venue for the games, being played at the Hornet Stadium, the university will also accommodate the visiting countries from across the globe and their players on campus.

For further information on the Homeless World Cup and the Homeless World Cup Foundation please visit: www.homelessworldcup.org