Over 200 soccer clubs, 100 stadiums and millions of fans will take part in the first-ever European soccer weekend against hunger, from March 20 to 22.
Organized by the association of European Professional Football Leagues (EPFL) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the 'Match Day Against Hunger' is aimed at raising awareness about the urgent need to fight hunger and poverty, which has been heightened by the current economic crisis.
Proceeds and donations raised during the weekend will help to finance anti-hunger micro-projects around the world.
European soccer greats Paolo Rossi, Roberto Biaggio, Raul Gonzalez, Hirsto Stoichkov, Hansi Mueller and Fernando Couto are among the many football stars who will be supporting or playing in this weekend's matches.
''Soccer is a fantastic means of getting the message across, children recognize the players and listen to what we have to say,'' observed Rossi.
Baggio has made a strong appeal to the soccer fans saying ''your help is needed to give a new impulse to the solidarity process to create a world free from hunger.''
The match weekend is part of a campaign launched last October 15 by FAO and the EPFL during World Food Day celebrations at FAO headquarters in Rome.
EPFL is made up of 29 member leagues and associated members representing more than 900 professional clubs across Europe.
Earlier this year, a high-level delegation of EPFL managers and players from Italy, Germany, Spain and Portugal visited micro projects in Egypt as part of the preparations for the FAO-EPFL partnership's global ''Professional Football Against Hunger'' campaign.
The soccer weekend against hunger will include first division matches from Italy, Germany, England, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Scotland, Bulgaria and Wales.
