22 March 2020

Premier League players sign up for charity FIFA 20 tournament '#ULTIMATEQUARANTEAM'

In light of all elite football in England being postponed until at least April 30, a 128-team FIFA tournament has been set up in which real top flight players control some of the teams.

Crystal Palace midfielder Andros Townsend and Brighton's Neal Maupay are among the Premier League stars who have signed up to the competition, where the money donated will go to the mental health charity MIND and the World Health Organisation.

The tournament was created by Leyton Orient's social media manager Luke Lambourne, who is pleased with just how much attention the event has received.

He said: "We've seen the likes of Crystal Palace putting Andros Townsend forward and Brighton putting Neal Maupay up.

"There's also a whole host of English clubs letting their players take control so it will be good fun."

The tournament has already raised a huge £28,000 thanks to a £25,000 donation by SkyBet as well as smaller contributions from fans.

As well as MIND and the WHO, some of the money raised will also bet put aside for Football League clubs, who are set to struggle throughout the coronavirus pandemic as fixtures continue to be pushed back.

"EFL clubs are going to struggle during a time of match postponements," added Lambourne.

"It's been well documented in the last 12 months with some clubs going into administration. This could really send them over the edge, so anything we can do to help support those clubs is fantastic."

The '#ULTIMATEQUARANTEAM' competition is set to get underway this week with teams from all around Europe getting involved including Ajax, RB Salzburg, Roma and Lokomotiv Moscow.

People will be able to watch the matches live via a stream, although the details are yet to be announced.

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