Football for Ukraine CIO

Football for Ukraine CIO, a charitable incorporated organisation established in April 2022, was dedicated to relieving suffering caused by the war in Ukraine through targeted humanitarian aid. Drawing on football and sports networks to mobilise support from individuals, companies, and the UK football community, its mission centred on addressing financial hardship, advancing health, saving lives, supporting disabled people, alleviating poverty, and providing education and training. Guided by values of compassion, solidarity, and sport's unifying power, it aimed for rapid, tangible impacts on war-affected communities, with robust governance including risk management and transparency. However, the charity has ceased operations, winding up as of 6 October 2025, with remaining funds transferred to UKRAINE CHARITY (1163036); it no longer accepts applications.

It funded emergency relief and recovery efforts for Ukrainian war victims, including children, families, disabled individuals, and other vulnerable groups facing displacement and disruption. Supported activities encompassed direct financial aid, health interventions, disability support, educational outreach, and capacity-building for partner organisations, with grants to both individuals and charities—from grassroots to larger entities—prioritising urgent needs and longer-term wellbeing in Ukraine and conflict-affected areas elsewhere.

Eligible applicants faced no specified restrictions on entity type, income size, or geography, though focus was on Ukraine-centric work. Typical grant ranges and sizes were unspecified, with £618,970 spent on activities in the year ending 31 July 2023. Unsolicited applications are not accepted, as grant-making has ended permanently, with no deadlines or meetings.

Distinctively, it bridged UK sports philanthropy with frontline aid, favouring direct, responsive grants over bureaucracy, but excludes all new funding amid dissolution; prospective applicants should contact UKRAINE CHARITY instead.