I flew to London to cover The Sidemen Charity Match where I spoke with KSI, Logan Paul, Mark Rober, MrBeast, and other top creators who took the field.
We're doing a full BTS video on the historic event, but in the meantime here's a few takeaways.
Quick Context:
In 2016, YouTube creator group The Sidemen hosted their first charity match to a stadium of 15,000.
This year, they sold out 90,000 tickets at Wembley Stadium in 2 hours.
The Results:
- $6.1M raised for charity
- 17M+ views on YouTube livestream
- 38 creators took the field, representing 500M+ subscribers
But the numbers don't tell the full story. Here are two other things that caught my eye...
Creators Search For Their “Max Fosh Moment”
Last year, Max Fosh stole the show with 80M views on his Uno Reverse stunt after he got a yellow card.
This year? He doubled down, shredding a yellow card Banksy-style — a stunt so elaborate that he 3D-printed a custom shredder which impressed even Mark Rober.
Other creators followed suit:
- Joe Weller hit a suplex on Logan Paul, a callback to his role in YouTube boxing’s early days.
- Other creators told me about their planned celebrations, but they didn’t score…so their moments never made it to the spotlight.
At this point, the Charity Match isn’t just about football — it’s about who can create the next viral moment.
Marketing Genius: Creator Brands Take Center Stage
The match was also a massive moment for creator-led businesses.
Everywhere you looked, creator brands were front and center:
- Feastables launched in the UK, rolling out in grocery stores and making a scene with a double-decker bus shutting down London streets.
- Prime sponsored the penalty kicks, stocked the stadium coolers, and made a cameo in KSI’s halftime show.
- Sidemen’s Best Cereal & XIX Vodka were featured as sponsors on the jerseys.
- 10/10 Burger, founded by Impaulsive host Mike Majlak, set up a pop-up outside Wembley — and had long lines all day.
Creators weren’t just playing the game. They were monetizing the moment.
Our Take
The Sidemen Charity Match shows the power of longevity.
I spoke with a lot of attendees, including many father-son duos who were both Sidemen fans.
As time goes on, their impact and audience will only compound. As will many of today's top creators.
After all, The Sidemen turned a football match into a global marketing machine. All while raising $6.1M for charity.