Noel Gallagher returns to Manchester for headline gala gig for Football for Change: full line-up

Noel Gallagher is set to perform at a gala dinner at the Emirates Old Trafford in September to raise money for Football for Change, a charity that helps disadvantaged teenagers out of poverty.

The ex-Oasis songsmith will be joined on stage by other big names such as singer Emeli Sandé, Spice Girl Mel C and Bolton-born TV presenter Vernon Kay, who will be hosting the event.

Mel C said: “I am really proud to give my support to Football For Change and I am looking forward to joining all of the players and everyone else involved on the night.

“This is going to be an incredibly special event and I am excited to be part of it.”

Football pundit Jamie Carragher, who is one of the initiative’s founders, will also be leading a Q&A with a yet-to-be-announced sports star.

Gala guests will also have the opportunity to bid in the charity auction, with prizes donated by both Manchester City and Manchester United, Formula One, Robbie Williams and the organisation’s patron Sir Rod Stewart.

Football for Change’s inaugural gala in Liverpool last year brought in £250,000, with a further £100,000 raised in a charity lunch.

What is Football for Change?

The charity was set up by Carragher, together with footballers Trent Alexander-Arnold and Conor Coady in 2021, with the help of PR firm founder Dan Hughes and Ardonagh Retail CEO Ian Donaldson.

The initiative unites business leaders and football stars in helping youngsters from deprived backgrounds access to different education and employment opportunities by distributing grants to some of the most deprived areas of the country.

Organiser Dan Hughes said about the upcoming gala: “This is the biggest celebrity and red carpet event in the North West this year and we cannot wait to announce our superstar headliner.

“Everyone who attends the night will be in for a truly spectacular evening.”

Football for Change has been backed by a number of big names from the footballing world in past, including Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, Brazilian Lucas Moura and Lioness striker Beth Mead, as well as Steven Gerrard and Gary Lineker.