Tyson Fury, Wayne Rooney to lead England in Soccer Aid 2025

Former world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury is set to team up with Wayne Rooney as co-managers of England for Soccer Aid 2025.

Rooney, a former England and Manchester United striker, will also come out of retirement to play in the annual charity match against a World XI on Sunday, 15 June. This year’s event, which raises funds for Unicef, returns to Old Trafford, the home of Rooney’s former club, Manchester United.

Last year’s edition, held at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, raised more than £15 million for charity.

Fury, an outspoken Manchester United supporter, expressed his excitement about his managerial role:

“The prospect of leading my England team to victory this June fills me with just as much excitement as any heavyweight fight. Everyone knows I’m a huge Manchester United fan, so it’s even more special to manage one of my heroes, Wayne Rooney.”

Rooney, who previously managed the England side in Soccer Aid 2020 and played in 2021, is looking forward to returning to the pitch:

“I’m a big boxing fan, so to do this alongside Tyson Fury is fantastic. We have this in common—we’ll both be taking it incredibly seriously. It’s great to lace up the old boots again and see some old friends.”

Rooney will play alongside former teammates Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, while Joe Hart, Steph Houghton, and Toni Duggan will make their Soccer Aid debuts.

Among the returning celebrity players are Louis Tomlinson, Sam Quek, Paddy McGuinness, Tom Grennan, and Sir Mo Farah.

The World XI will feature Leonardo Bonucci and Denmark’s Nadia Nadim, with more names set to be announced.

Since its inception in 2006, Soccer Aid has raised over £106 million for charity.