(Reuters) – Germany will play three friendly matches in June with their 1,000th international match set to be a charity game against Ukraine, the country’s football association (DFB) said on Monday.
With Germany hosting the European Championship next year, the hosts are not involved in the qualifying campaign and will be playing friendly matches instead in the buildup to the tournament.
Germany will play Ukraine on June 12 in Bremen, followed by a game against Poland in Warsaw on June 16 and finally against Colombia on June 20 in Gelsenkirchen.
“The 1,000th international match for the Germany senior men’s national team is a very special event. We want to use it to send a clear signal for peace and international understanding and against war and destruction,” DFB president Bernd Neuendorf said.
“That’s why we are happy that we can play an international match with and for Ukraine on the occasion of our anniversary.”
The DFB said its foundation and partners provided more than 10 million euros ($11.03 million) for social projects in Ukraine last year after Russia’s invasion, which Moscow calls a “special operation”.
“The Weserstadion (in Bremen) offers just the right setting for this special anniversary match, with which we can not only show our support for Ukraine, but also provide concrete help and collect donations,” sports director Rudi Voeller said.
Germany, who were knocked out of the World Cup in Qatar in the group stage, have never lost to Ukraine in eight matches. They last met them in November 2020 in the Nations League where Germany won 3-1.
($1 = 0.9070 euros)
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
