The inaugural Legends Charity Game, organised by Sport Global, will be staged at Sporting CP’s Estádio José Alvalade, marking the start of a series set to run annually until 2030.

The match will see Portugal Legends face off against World Legends on Monday, 15 September 2025, with Calema performing live at half-time, and all in support of the goal of raising €1 million for charity.

The venue confirmation came after the Champions League schedule was finalised, introducing Estádio José Alvalade as the host of the opening match of the series. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:00, with player arrivals at 18:00 and gates opening at 18:30. Fans can enjoy a pre-game show at 19:40, while half-time will feature a live performance by Calema, the São Tomé and Príncipe-born, Portugal-based duo known for their blend of pop and Afrobeat, performing in front of 50,000 fans and millions watching worldwide.

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The Portugal side will be captained by Luís Figo and include a host of stars from the nation’s greatest footballing moments. Figo said: “It’s always a pleasure to come back to my country and play football! Hope to see a full stadium in my hometown, Lisbon, for this amazing Legends Charity Game and raise funds for important charity causes.”

Joining him are Euro 2016 winners Ricardo Quaresma, Nani, Eliseu, Bruno Alves, Ricardo Carvalho, and Pepe, along with Champions League winners Fábio Coentrão, Maniche, Pauleta, Vítor Baía, José Bosingwa, and Deco. Other confirmed legends include Beto, Jorge Andrade, Dani, Tiago Mendes, Simão, Hélder Postiga, Nuno Gomes, and Costinha, who will also serve as team manager.

Legendary forward Quaresma added: “Wearing the Portuguese shirt has always filled me with pride, and winning Euro 2016 was the greatest moment of my career. I’m really looking forward to representing Portugal again, especially for such a good cause. Football has the power to bring joy and hope, and using that to support families affected by war and conflict is incredibly important. Playing at home in Lisbon, for something that matters this much, makes the Legends Charity Game even more special.”

Nuno Gomes, one of Portugal’s most recognisable attacking players of the 1990s and 2000s, added: “Being called up to represent Portugal has always carried a deep sense of responsibility and national pride, and that feeling is no different ahead of the upcoming Legends Charity Match. Supporting those less fortunate has long been a personal priority.”

The World Legends squad will provide formidable competition, featuring international icons including Kaká, Peter Schmeichel (Manager), Petr Cech, Edwin van der Sar, Rene Higuita, Carles Puyol, Roberto Carlos, John Terry, Cafu, Javier Zanetti, Marco Materazzi, Gheorghe Hagi, Youri Djorkaeff, Christian Karembeu, Krasimir Balakov, Gaizka Mendieta, Marek Hamsik, Javier Saviola, Michael Owen, Henrik Larsson, Alessandro Del Piero, and Hristo Stoichkov.

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All proceeds from the match will be donated through the Sport Global Charitable Foundation to four charities:

–   Cruz Vermelha Portuguesa (Portuguese Red Cross): Delivering emergency response, healthcare, training, and social support nationwide.

–   Cáritas Portuguesa: Providing critical support to marginalised communities in Portugal and abroad.

–   International Alert: Working across divides to resolve conflict and build lasting peace.

–   Ukrainian Red Cross Society: Delivering urgent care, shelter, food, and psychological support to those affected by war.

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Rasmus Sojmark, Founder of Sport Global, said: “With the Legends Charity Game, we are connecting fans, legends, music and communities for something bigger than the game itself. This match will bring generations together, and Estádio José Alvalade is a fantastic host for what promises to deliver the best in entertainment for a great cause. I would also like to take the chance to thank the Portuguese Football Federation, along with all our sponsors and partners, for helping us make this a reality.”

The Legends Charity Game is an annual event organised by Sport Global and will run until 2030.

Tickets for the Legends Charity Game are now on sale starting from €10 for adults and €6 children. Premium Category tickets are also available at €35 for adults and €20 for children under 12.

Donations can be made online.

* Sport Global Charitable Foundation is a restricted fund under the auspices of Prism the Gift Fund (UK registered charity no. 1099682). All profits from the Legends Charity Game will support the Foundation’s beneficiary charities.

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More partnerships to increase global reach

ELA Games is pleased to announce its newest partnership with Slotsjudge, a thriving media outlet and review platform that encourages community engagement.

Slotsjudge specialises in spotlighting new and exciting games, providing comprehensive casino reviews, interviewing prominent industry figures, and hosting user content that fosters community activity.

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Key aspects of the collaboration include:

• In-depth game reviews: Slotsjudge’s expert contributors will provide evaluations and reviews of ELA Games’ releases and upcoming content, highlighting mechanics, features, and art style.
• Joint content production: Scheduled co-produced content, such as Q&As and interviews, aimed at spotlighting development philosophy, behind-the-scenes production, and more.
• Exclusive insights: Slotsjudge and ELA Games will plan future features and initiatives that educate readers and provide valuable insights into the industry.

Marharyta Yerina, ELA Games’ Managing Director, commented on the collaboration, “We’re thrilled with this new partnership with Slotsjudge. Their reputation for honest, insightful, and engaging game and casino reviews and their willingness to develop an active community are values that we align with. We also look forward to bolstering Slotsjudge’s content with helpful insights and interesting content that highlight our creative process and how we create games that players love.”

Jekaterina Dubnicka, Slotsjudge’s Head of Marketing and Communications, added, “At Slotsjudge, we are delighted to begin our media partnership with Ela Games. Their creative approach to game development perfectly aligns with our mission to highlight innovation and quality within the iGaming entertainment space.”

Soft2Bet will celebrate nine years of innovation at this year’s SBC Summit Lisbon (Sept 16–18), showcasing its latest gamification technology, leading educational content through the Gamification Academy, supporting the flagship Legends Charity Game, and backing start-up founders at SBC First Pitch.

From September 16 to 18, Soft2Bet will showcase its iGaming platform, turnkey solutions, and MEGA, a data-led retention suite designed for casino and sportsbook brands. Across the three days, the team will demonstrate MEGA through bookable workshops, lead the Gamification Academy by Soft2Bet as part of the Tech Academies programme, and support founders at SBC First Pitch.

Soft2Bet: Backing SBC’s flagship Legends Charity Game

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On 15 September, Soft2Bet will join SBC and its founder, Rasmus Sojmark, for the flagship Legends Charity Game in Lisbon, a Portugal Legends versus World Legends match where Luís Figo, the 2000 Ballon d’Or winner, captains Portugal. The fixture brings together Portuguese and international greats with the aim of raising €1,000,000 for humanitarian causes.

SBC CEO & Founder Rasmus Sojmark commented: “Soft2Bet has been a strong partner of SBC’s events from the early days and it is fantastic to see them take it to another level in 2025. We have a number of new initiatives this year at the SBC Summit and Soft2Bet’s support has helped us to develop the Tech Academies programme and push forward with the Legends Charity Game.”

SBC Gamification Academy powered by Soft2Bet

For the first time, SBC will launch the Operators Academy, focused on AI, Marketing, Web 3.0 & Blockchain, and Gamification. During the first day, Soft2Bet will be contributing to the Gamification Academy by Soft2Bet.

The programme features a keynote by Chief Product Officer Yoel Zuckerberg, “Introduction to Gamification & Player Engagement”, the panel “Why Personalisation is the Key to Retention”, moderated by Martin Collins (Chief Business Development Officer), and another panel “The Five Steps of Gamification”, with Alon Eshed (Head of Sales) as a panellist. Yoel Zuckerberg and other senior representatives will share practical strategies for operators on personalising player experiences, integrating gamification into products, and measuring performance. The academy will equip operators with clear, actionable insights to boost engagement, retention, and revenue, providing them with a competitive edge.

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“Brands want retention they can prove,” said Yoel Zuckerberg, Chief Product Officer at Soft2Bet. “In Lisbon, we are running focused, one-to-one MEGA sessions that show the playbook, personalised missions, clear KPIs and less bonus waste, so teams can lift engagement and LTV across highly competitive markets.”

One integration. MEGA outcome

Throughout the summit, Soft2Bet will host bookable MEGA workshops at Stand C160, featuring 30-minute one-on-one sessions hosted by Alon Eshed (Head of Sales), with presenters Nicolas Campano (Sales Director) and Slobodan Georgijevski (Senior Sales Manager). Each session will demonstrate how to configure missions and challenges to align with brand goals, monitor uplift through live reporting and control bonus spend via a single integration. Workshop slots are limited and can be reserved via this link: https://www.soft2bet.com/mega

Soft2Bet Invest: developing the industry through innovation

Supporting early‑stage teams is vital to the industry’s progress. Soft2Bet founded Soft2Bet Invest in 2024 to support iGaming and casual gaming entrepreneurs with capital and hands-on business support, focusing on areas such as AI, behavioural-UX analytics, and scalable gaming technology.

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Last year in Lisbon, Soft2Bet participated in the SBC First Pitch judging panel; this year, the commitment grows as Soft2Bet Invest presents the competition on 18 September, with a start-up prize package worth over €90,000. The goal is straightforward: to help talented founders introduce new approaches and fresh thinking to a rapidly growing industry.

Nine nominations underline strength in products, platform and leadership

This year, Soft2Bet received nominations across nine award categories at the SBC Awards 2025, highlighting excellence in its brands, MEGA, platform innovations, and leadership. The recognition reflects a consistent focus on localisation, compliance and player experience, helping to build strong brands in highly competitive markets with strict requirements, rigorous marketing standards and a clear performance focus.