Soccer Aid’s organizers have been chastised for having a lavish celebrity party shortly after pleading for cash to help children affected by poverty, hunger, and the conflict in Ukraine.
Several of the celebs who took part in the charity game on Sunday were’shocked’ by the decision to host the event at London’s luxury, five-star Nobu hotel, which cost tens of thousands of pounds.
Idris Elba, Vicky McClure from Line of Duty, Liam Payne from One Direction, and Teddy Sheringham, a former England footballer, were among those who attended.
As DJs played, guests were treated to free drinks until the early hours of Monday.
Iain Stirling, the Love Island narrator, was also seen leaving the party with his wife Laura Whitmore, the show’s presenter on ITV2.
Soccer Aid, a charity match that generates funds for Unicef, was shown on ITV, with the match interspersed by films encouraging viewers to donate.
Actor Damian Lewis presented the experiences of Ukrainian youngsters in severe need of assistance in one.
Actor Damian Lewis presented the experiences of Ukrainian youngsters in severe need of assistance in one.
The party was entirely supported by business sponsors and received no governmental funding.
However, several celebrities questioned if their money would have been better spent supporting the charity’s work rather than paying for a party at a venue where cocktails cost up to £17 apiece.
‘There were several players who took part in the game who were truly surprised that there was such a big do afterward that plainly cost so much money,’ one person claimed.
‘When there are people who have been made homeless in Ukraine, it all seems quite tone deaf.
‘You have to wonder if people took the time to think about where the money was coming from and if it could have been put to better use.
‘A big deal was made about raising money for those affected by the war so it seems pretty incongruous to have a big celebrity drink-up while that is happening.’
Staff engaged in the match stayed for free at Champneys, a spa hotel where rooms generally cost more than £160 per night, according to the Mail on Sunday.
Sponsors covered the costs this time, rather than public donations. The match, which took place at West Ham’s London Stadium, has raised £15.6 million for Unicef so far.
JD Sports, Primark, Evri, and Nobu themselves are among the sponsors. The celebration was reportedly organized by Julie Perry, a Cheshire-based events planner who has worked on the weddings of several Manchester United players.
The party was conducted last night to reward everyone who had participated for free, according to Soccer Aid.
A spokesman said: ‘One hundred per cent of Soccer Aid donations go to support the vital work of Unicef.
‘The party that followed the conclusion of the match and the organisation of it was funded entirely by third-party sponsors.’
Soccer Aid, which was founded in 2006, has raised over £75 million. After a 2-2 tie in normal time, a World XI managed by Arsene Wenger defeated an England team coached by Harry Redknapp in a penalty shootout last weekend.
Payne led the England team, with Usain Bolt, a retired Jamaican sprinter, set to head the opposition.
Bolt, though, made the sweet gesture of passing the captain’s armband to Ukrainian football star Andriy Shevchenko immediately before kick-off.