The first Built World Cup charity football tournament for Ukraine will kick off in April 2025
ING Media and The Developer have come together to help the efforts to rebuild Ukraine by launching a new charity 5-aside football tournament.
The Built World Cup will take place on Friday afternoon 25th April 2025 at Shoreditch Powerleague, London, where up to 16 teams from across property, architecture, construction and consultancy will go head-to-head to be crowned the UK’s best built environment football team.
In true The Developer fashion, the winning team will get to lift a coveted Golden Pineapple trophy, made famous at the Pineapples Awards.
The purpose of the tournament is to raise money to support rebuilding efforts in Ukraine, which has seen much of its built environment and heritage devastated since 2022.
This year’s tournament will see all proceeds go towards the construction of the RE:Ukraine Community Hub project in Vorzel, a suburb of Kyiv that was devastated during the early months of the full scale invasion of Ukraine.
The RE:Ukraine Community Hub is a project designed and promoted by the charitable arm of leading Ukrainian architecture practice balbek bureau. It recognises that in addition to other vital infrastructure such as housing, community hubs such as at Vorzel will play a vital role in not just the physical rebuilding of Ukraine but also the psychological rehabilitation of local communities, while also providing vital administrative services.
Entries will cost £500 per team, with teams required to field a mixed squad of six players.
Thanks to the kind generosity of architecture & design recruitment agency The Crowd, the Built World Cup’s main sponsor, 100% of all entry fees will go directly towards funding the construction of the Community Hub in Vorzel. The Crowd has also sponsored a drinks event to take place after the tournament to celebrate outstanding football and fundraising efforts.
The founders of the Built World Cup - Tom Hawkins and Lauren Teague at ING Media and James Macleod at The Developer - hope to bring together the sector’s biggest football fans while helping to raise as much money as possible for an important cause.
Tom Hawkins, associate director at ING Media:
“Like many others in our sector, I have been looking for as many ways as possible to help the brave people of Ukraine. I hope the Built World Cup allows us to do what we all love, put on our astros and play football, while supporting not just a worthy cause, but one with a clear connection to our sector.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing who will be the first to lift the soon-to-be-famous Golden Pineapple and become our first Built World Cup champions!”
Slava Balbek, CEO and co-founder of balbek bureau:
“RE:Ukraine Community Hub project was initiated by a team of architects and designers, so it feels truly special to see this project resonate with the UK's architecture and development community. All donations will be allocated to completing construction and engineering documentation, laying the groundwork for the project's implementation. Your support will play an integral role in providing people of the Vorzel community and internally displaced persons with crucial social services.”
Louise Constantine, Co-founder and director of The Crowd:
“We are a footy-mad group at The Crowd, which makes us so proud to be the main sponsor of the first ever Built World Cup. We can’t wait to find out who has the best skills, the best kit and the brightest boots! We’re not just sponsoring the tournament, but the drinks after too, so let’s all come together and celebrate a fantastic day for a great cause.”
How to Enter
Please enter here: The Built World Cup Tickets, Fri, Apr 25, 2025 at 1:00 PM | Eventbrite
Entry Fee: £500
Requirements:
· Teams must come from businesses and organisations connected to the built environment
· Minimum squad of seven people
· Squads must be mixed gender. i.e. no all-male teams
Further Details
For any questions about the tournament, please contact Tom Hawkins directly on thomas.hawkins@ing-media.com
About RE:Ukraine Community Hub
The story of the RE:Ukraine Community Hub project began with the (balbek bureau) initial concept, RE:Ukraine Housing, which aimed at providing dignified temporary housing for internally displaced persons. In May 2023, we started work on the site in Vorzel and laid the foundation for both sections. However, as the project progressed, it became clear that the community's needs were evolving, and the space needed to address long-term challenges.
Following discussions with Vorzel residents, local authorities, and experts, bb decided to adjust the concept to create a center that would cater to a broader audience and ensure a holistic approach to the community's recovery.
The next step is developing project documentation. This includes detailed drawings, technical documentation, and budget planning to ensure the construction meets all standards and addresses the community's needs. This work is handled by bb’s long-time partners, one of Ukraine's leading construction engineering firms.
What will the funds be used for? All donations will be allocated to completing construction and engineering documentation, laying the groundwork for the project's implementation. This crucial stage will allow for an efficient transition to the construction phase.
Balbek bureau is committed to transparency and will gladly provide detailed reports on the use of the collected funds.