England and Wales will play a friendly match at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, October 9. While the two teams are fierce competitors, they will band together on the evening to participate in a powerful and emotional moment of unity to raise awareness for those living with dementia.
The FA confirmed in June that the match would be an Alzhemier’s Society International. They have now announced that there will be no child mascots at the contest. Instead, both teams will take the pitch with 22 dementia-affected fans.
Football supporters with the disease were chosen at random from across England and Wales and will go out alongside the teams to convey the message that defeating it will require a united team effort.
Andy Lee, an England fan, will join the team on the pitch for the national anthems. The 66-year-old, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2019, became tearful as Dan Burn delivered the news to him in person. He said:
“I never expected to do something like this at my age, and I was completely overwhelmed when I got the news. I’m going to appreciate this opportunity; having my family there to observe and share the event with them will be quite special.
“I also hope it will show people that dementia isn’t necessarily what you might expect, and that being diagnosed doesn’t mean you suddenly stop doing the things you love.”
For the second half at Wembley Stadium, players will wear shirts with no names on the back. This has been done in previous Alzheimer’s Society Internationals involving England, including one versus Belgium in March 2024, to emphasise one of dementia’s most common symptoms: memory loss.
The FA’s CEO, Mark Bullingham, has emphasised the importance of the cooperation. He said:
“Our partnership with Alzheimer’s Society continues to raise vital funds and awareness for those impacted by dementia, and the 22 people living with a diagnosis who will walk out at Wembley Stadium alongside the national teams will ensure this message resonates more than ever.”
While Alex Hyde-Smith, chief marketing officer at Alzheimer’s Society, stated: “This year’s Alzheimer’s Society International promises to be a landmark night, displaying so many varied dementia experiences and delivering a wonderful occasion for our mascots and their families.
“We understand that defeating dementia will take the ultimate team effort, and football is the ultimate team game. Players rely on their teammates, coaches, and fans for support, just as patients suffering from dementia do. It will take a society to defeat dementia, and like with any successful team, everyone has a role to play.
Following the friendly, both teams will resume their World Cup qualifying campaign, with England travelling to Latvia on Tuesday, October 14, and Wales hosting Belgium in a key Group J match the day before.
Wales is now third in their group, but a win would put them in a strong position to qualify for next year’s event, which will be held in North America.
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