FC Shakhtar and UNITED24 platform announce launch of fundraising programme to help Ukrainians.

Football fans have come to the fore in supporting the people of Ukraine since the war began on February 24, 2022. As the country continues to battle against the Russian aggression, a new fundraising programme, Pitch In For Ukraine, has been formed among the international football community. This project will make it possible for football fans all over the world to pitch in for support of Ukrainians.

FC Shakhtar CEO Sergei Palkin:
- FC Shakhtar has been using own forces and resources to help Ukraine with its battle and to support Ukrainians affected by the fighting since the first day of the full-scale war. The club launched a series of charity initiatives supported by our friends and partners that have already made it possible to raise substantial funds to help the army and civilians. We use any possibility to raise money for people in need. Pitch In For Ukraine is an ambitious humanitarian project, by means of which we hope to accumulate large resources to help Ukraine, Ukrainian children and all people affected by the Russian aggression. Join the project and pitch in for peace in Ukraine. Together we can do more! Together we will win!

Fans who participate in Pitch In For Ukraine are rewarded with digital art PoPs. A “PoP” stands for Pixel of Pitch and represents a part of the pitch of the Donbass Arena, the home stadium of FC Shakhtar in Donetsk. The Donbass Arena pitch offers 154,000 PoPs based on six donation levels for football fans to choose from starting from the amount of £15. Each PoP features the name of the donator and a unique PoP number, along with exclusive fan content for the 2022/23 football season.

All proceeds raised through Pitch In For Ukraine will be used for humanitarian aid provision and support of Ukrainian families displaced and affected by the ongoing war. Proceeds will be directly used by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s foundation UNITED24, along with the Shakhtar Social, the Saving Lives Foundation and the KSE Foundation.