Taking place at the Joie Stadium on the Etihad Campus on Sunday 15 November, Game4Ricky will see Team Hitman take on Team Hatton in a star-studded celebrity football match bringing together some of the biggest names from football, boxing and entertainment.
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The first 22 players have now been revealed, with two-time Premier League winner and Manchester City favourite Pablo Zabaleta, former England and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, FA Cup winner David James, World Cup finalist William Gallas, England internationals Toni Duggan, Joleon Lescott and Des Walker, Premier League winner Wes Morgan, City cult hero Shaun Goater and former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha among the footballing names confirmed.
They will be joined by stars from beyond football including comedian and presenter Jason Manford, musician and television personality Big Zuu, broadcaster and former footballer Chelcee Grimes, actor Archie Renaux, creator and presenter Harry Pinero, YouTube star Kristen Hanby and television presenter Jeff Brazier.
There will also be a special half-time performance from globally renowned singer Russell Watson.
Two names will carry particular significance on the day: Ricky’s brother Matthew Hatton and his son Campbell Hatton, who will captain the opposing sides. Boxing will remain at the heart of the occasion, with former world champions Paulie Malignaggi and Johnny Nelson, rising British star Dalton Smith.
Campbell and Matthew’s involvement ensures that, at the heart of all the stars, football and entertainment, Game4Ricky remains what it was created to be: a day for Ricky.
The match will kick off at 14:15 (UK), with tickets on sale now from £15, making Game4Ricky an accessible opportunity for families, sports fans and people from across Manchester and beyond to come together and celebrate one of the city’s most loved sporting figures.
A range of hospitality packages, starting from £200 per person, are also available, offering premium experiences for individuals, groups and businesses.
Game4Ricky will celebrate everything Ricky represented – his love of sport, his fierce pride in Manchester, his humour, his connection with ordinary people and the unmistakable personality that made him one of Britain’s most popular sporting figures.
From the thousands of fans who followed him to Las Vegas to the generations of Mancunians who saw Ricky as one of their own, Ricky’s relationship with Manchester went far beyond what happened inside a boxing ring.
Game4Ricky will bring that connection back to life.
Football legends, world champions, entertainers, friends, family and supporters will stand side by side at the Joie Stadium to remember the incredible moments Ricky gave the city – while using his legacy to make a difference for others.
At the heart of the event is an important purpose.
Proceeds from Game4Ricky will support the work of Manchester City’s official charity, City in the Community, with funds helping to support mental health and suicide prevention initiatives across Greater Manchester and the UK.
The ambition is not simply to remember Ricky, but to create something positive in his name by using the extraordinary affection people had for him to bring people together, start conversations around mental health and help support those who need it.
The event is being produced by LGNDS, specialists in major live-broadcast celebrity and legends events, with further high-profile names still to be announced across both Team Hitman and Team Hatton ahead of matchday.
Game4Ricky will also be broadcast live and free-to-air on 5, with international broadcast allowing audiences around the world to be part of the occasion.
For those inside the Joie Stadium, however, the message will be simple: Manchester is coming together for Ricky.
