updated 10:07 p.m. ET Jan. 14, 2005

A charity soccer match to raise money for victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami will be held in Barcelona’s Nou Camp stadium Feb. 15, FIFA and UEFA said Thursday.

The match will be between two all-star teams, one led by World Player of the Year Ronaldinho and the other by European Footballer of the Year Andriy Shevchenko, the governing bodies said in a statement.

Carlos Alberto Parreira and Frank Rijkaard will coach Ronaldinho’s team, and Marcello Lippi and Arsene Wenger will prepare Shevchenko’s. The full list of players will be confirmed later.

“Just like the rest of the international community, the worldwide football family is determined to do everything possible to help the individuals and football associations that have been so severely affected by the terrible tsunami tragedy,” said FIFA President Sepp Blatter. “The ’Football for Hope’ match is a symbol of the outpouring of solidarity within our game. It comes in addition to countless other initiatives that have already begun, through which the game of football is seeking to offer some hope to those in need.”

Barcelona has made its stadium available free of charge, the statement said.

“The tragedy that has struck the nations around the Indian Ocean has provoked an unprecedented outpouring of solidarity around the globe,” said UEFA President Lennart Johansson. “The football community has a duty to be a party to this overwhelming demonstration of human togetherness.

“The emotional nature of these efforts is amplified by the role football plays in bringing people together, irrespective of their differences,” Johansson added. “We hope that the message of hope disseminated by the world of sport will help to alleviate the terrible suffering endured by those stricken by this disaster.”

Coolmore raises $3.5 million
Coolmore Stud in Fethard, Ireland has raised $3.5 million for Asian tsunami relief efforts in an auction of one-time breeding rights to 50 of its stallions.

Coolmore, based in Ireland and with operations in the United States and Australia, raised $2.2 million for the Red Cross, a statement from Coolmore Stud said Thursday.

The amount was increased by $1.3 million by donations from breeders.

“We hope this contribution will help people to begin to rebuild their lives, in some small way,” Coolmore said in a statement. “We are very aware that many of the bidders have also made private donations ... and we are moved that breeders worldwide reacted so generously.”

The 18 stallions offered by Ashford Stud in Kentucky included 2000 Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus, which raised the highest amount with a bid of $170,000 from Stonerside Stable.

Giant Causeway, Europe’s champion 3-year-old in 2000, raised $160,000 with a bid from Moyglare Stud, Ireland.

The 13 stallions from Coolmore’s Irish operation included Sadler’s Wells, England’s top sire. Juddmonte Farms bid $397,980 for a season.

The bid for Coolmore Australia’s only permanent stallion, Encosta de Lago, reached $107,500.

Breeding rights for eight stallions from the Castlehyde Stud and 10 from the National Hunt, both based in Ireland, were also offered.

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