In a joint effort to tackle rising anti-Semitism in Great Britain, Europe and the United States, British soccer club Chelsea will travel to the United States next spring for a friendly match against the New England Revolution.
The game – part of Chelsea's "Say No to Antisemitism" campaign – will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, next May.
The game is a response to the recent synagogue shooting massacre in Pittsburgh, where 11 people were killed and seven more were wounded, and rising anti-Semitism in Europe.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and New England Revolution Investor/Operator Robert Kraft, who are both Jewish, will each donate $1 million, in addition to all proceeds from the match, towards international community programs that combat anti-Semitism.
In May of this year, Abramovich received Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return after his British visa was not renewed.
"I am proud of the work Chelsea does to promote equality and tackle discrimination all over the world," Abramovich said. "The 'Say No to Antisemitism' campaign has already achieved so much in raising awareness of this important issue, but there remains a lot of work to do. I am delighted to join forces with New England Revolution and Mr. Kraft in this initiative and we look forward to the match."
Kraft, who also owns the New England Patriots of the National Football League, has led several trips of NFL players to Israel.
"It's clear we need to do more to help combat anti-Semitism and all hate crimes in the wake of on-going discrimination around the world, including the recent tragedy in Pittsburgh," Kraft said. "We're excited for the Revolution to host Chelsea in support of raising awareness of the dangerous manifestations of anti-Semitism. All proceeds from the match will be dedicated to initiatives to combat hate crimes."
In July, Chelsea and the World Jewish Congress teamed up to launch an international competition seeking innovative ideas for projects designed to help unite sports fans and build bridges between people of different backgrounds and faiths.
The Pitch for Hope campaign is open to young people aged 18 to 23 in the U.S., Britain, and Israel.
