The Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio has chosen to donate part of the proceeds from the match between Italy and North Macedonia to the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital to support the activities of admitting Ukrainian children and families fleeing the war.

Around 200 Ukrainian patients have already been looked after by doctors at the Bambino Gesù, with 40 currently hospitalised with serious illnesses or war injuries. Five of them are being treated at the Paediatric Palliative Care Centre, which was recently opened by the Hospital thanks also to a donation from the FIGC. More patients are on the way. The costs to admit these children and their families are borne by the Fondazione Bambino Gesù Onlus.

“The Federation is fully committed to supporting the extraordinary efforts being made by the Bambino Gesù Hospital to welcome children in need of help and those who are feeling Ukraine with their loved ones. Each of us can do something to respond with solidarity to a dramatic situation where unacceptable violence is being perpetrated, especially towards children.”

“We’re honoured to have the FIGC’s support, which brings us comfort as we look to achieve our objectives relating to the admission of these families, who are going through a shocking and dramatic experience where pain from war and illness is present. We’re deeply grateful to the National Team, all of the players, Coach Mancini and President Gravina, all of whom have always been at the side of our most vulnerable patients and, in the process, shown moral qualities to be proud of.”

The collaboration between the FIGC and Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital has long been established. The full Italy squad first visited children being treated there on the eve of their Euro qualifying match against Greece in 2019. In December, they brought the trophy won at Wembley to the hospital. In between this, the FIGC has been involved in many initiatives in support of research and care, as well as various education and awareness-raising activities. Examples include a €50,000 donation to help purchase a machine to analyse and quantify the presence of DNA mutations in diagnostic samples, a financial contribution to support the construction of the Paediatric Palliative Care Centre in Passoscuro, the launch of a campaign to encourage young people to wear masks in order to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the recent donation of 750 Easter eggs to youngsters being treated at the hospital’s four inpatient centres: Gianicolo (in Rome), Palidoro, Santa Marinella and Passoscuro.