Dutch king Willem-Alexander, will officially open the Homeless World Cup at the Museum Square in Amsterdam on Saturday morning 12 September after the participating teams complete the Opening Parade. Following the Opening Ceremony, he will watch the opening games of the Dutch Women’s team against Argentina and the Dutch Men’s team against Northern Ireland.
HM King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands is a life-long sports enthusiast. He practices tennis, running, sailing, skiing, and diving, and other sports. From 1995 to 1998, he was patron of the Netherlands Olympic Committee, and from 1998 to 2013, he was a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), but resigned on his accession to the throne to focus on his new role. On his appointment as an honorary member of the IOC in September 2013 in Buenos Aires, he was presented with the Olympic Order in Gold, the highest honour awarded by the IOC, by Jacques Rogge, the then-President of the IOC.
Arne de Groote, director of Life Goals, the Dutch partner of the Homeless World Cup and hosts of the 2015 tournament, said: “The visit of the king shows once again that sports for this vulnerable target group is being taken more and more seriously. We are honoured with his support and – following three years of preparations – very much look forward to a spectacular opening ceremony.”
Get more stuff like this
Subscribe to our mailing list and get interesting stuff and updates to your email inbox.