Harlequins Star Marler to Make SoccerAid Debut – in Goal

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Held every two years from 2006 to 2018, and every year since, the charity Soccer Aid pits former sports stars and TV personalities against each other in a football match. A friendly game between two ensemble teams, England and World XI, the event raises around £15m for UNICEF. 

Former Harlequins prop Joe Marler will don the gloves of England goalkeeper as the team seeks to undo a 5-4 loss in 2025 to a World XI side that included Nemanja Vidic.

Bullseye Partnership

Soccer Aid has aims beyond football this year. The charity has teamed up with TV show Bullseye, which originally ran from 1981 to 2006. 

Following a special hosted by Freddy Flintoff in 2024, the darts-themed contest has been enjoying something of a resurgence, lending its name to online gaming rooms. The Buzz Bingo website hosts regular themed sessions, such as Bubble Bingo, Whack-A-Mole, and Duck Hunt Quackpots. Bullseye and its beloved mascot, Bully, appear in Bullseye Bingo.

In its TV format, one Bullseye player in a team plays darts while the other answers questions. Bullseye’s marketing suggests a celebrity component but hasn’t revealed whether they’ll be a footballer or a darts player. 

London Stadium

Joe Marler, who spent his entire career at Harlequins, joins Soccer Aid’s England team with Olly Murs. The squad gets its footballing prowess from Wayne Rooney, Jermain Defoe, and former Lioness Jill Scott. As mentioned, Marler will serve as custodian. 

The World XI team will line up with Italy’s Leonardo Bonucci, comedian Chris O’Down, Gladiators villain Nitro, and Spanish full-back Jordi Alba. Double World Cup winner Ali Krieger, of the USWNT, and world-record-holding sprinter Usain Bolt are scheduled to make an appearance, too. 

Soccer Aid 2026 travels to London for the renewal, to West Ham’s London Stadium. Two teams of at least 22 players are fielded, with each substitute getting a chance to play. 

Returning Names

Marler has had an interesting career off the field since leaving Harlequins in 2026 and years before that. Most recently, the 35-year-old featured in the viral TV sensation The Celebrity Traitors. He’s written a book, starred in an adoption video from the Greyhound Board of Great Britain, and continues to host his own podcast.

His Soccer Aid appearance will be the first for the ex-rugby player, but the event thrives on returning names. Actor Paddy McGuinness holds the record for most starts, with 9, closely followed by David Seaman and Robbie Keane (8). The top scorer overall is another Soccer Aid favourite, Jermain Defoe (5), who shares the honour with an unlikely rival, Love Island’s Kem Cetinay.

Soccer Aid, founded by singer and Port Vale fan Robbie Williams, is one of the biggest charity events in the world. A football match isn’t the only fundraising effort by the charity, as hinted at earlier with Bullseye. For instance, Williams played the FIFA video game against Usain Bolt as part of eSoccer Aid. 

Soccer Aid takes place on May 31st. Tickets are priced at £21.00 to £89.25, depending on the seating category required.