Father Christmas Cup, Annual Soccer Benefit, Announced for December 19th at Atlanta Silverbacks Park

ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - Dec 16, 2015) - The Father Christmas Cup, a non-profit which benefits families that recently lost a parent, invites you to the annual, invitational soccer tournament fundraiser at Atlanta Silverbacks Park on Saturday, December 19, 2015 from 8 am to 6:30 pm. Everyone is invited and attendees can make a donation at the event or on the website at FXCup.org. The Father Christmas Cup is proud of the support received from Atlanta United.

"We're very excited to participate in this year's FX Cup," said Atlanta United president Darren Eales. "It's a wonderful opportunity to be able to raise funds for the families of this year's honorees, and inspiring to see the soccer community in Atlanta come together to support one another during the holiday season. We're honored to be a part of it."

Featured Times, Raffle Items, and Celebrities

• Youth Games: Registration at 8 am with games starting at 8:30.
• Adult Games: Registration begins at 10:30 am.
• Moment of Silence for Honorees: assemble at 11:30 am.
• Youth-only Raffle: notably, a Cristiano Ronaldo jersey, of Real Madrid fame, is a raffle item only for kids.
• Celebrity Player: Carlos Bocanegra, former USA Men's National Team captain and technical director for the new MLS expansion team, Atlanta United, will be playing in benefit games starting at 1pm.

"For more than 10 years, The Father Christmas Cup annual fundraising events have honored contributors to our soccer community and improved the lives of families suffering the loss of a parent," says Stephen O'Hare, chair of The Father Christmas Cup. He adds, "We are proud that 97% of funds raised go directly to families in need."

Funds from the Father Christmas Cup event provide comfort and financial support to one or more families experiencing their first holiday season without a parent. The benefit elicits generosity and community support from adult and youth soccer players and their families throughout metropolitan Atlanta. The event is an annual soccer tournament fundraiser consisting of local soccer players, many of whom have ties to the beneficiary families. Youth and adult teams are invited to play in a fun, mini-tournament.

This year we are fundraising for the families of Michael Christopher Childers, and Detective Terence A. Green. We will be memorializing Dietmar Doering, Gene O'Brien Sr., and Imre Pataki.

The event is held at Atlanta Silverbacks Park, 3200 Atlanta Silverbacks Way, Atlanta, GA 30340. The Father Christmas Cup organizers would like to thank the Silverbacks organization for graciously donating field space for more than 10 years. The Father Christmas Cup organizers give many thanks to all who volunteer their time or donate to make this event possible.

The event exemplifies the strength of the Atlanta soccer community. The community consists of youth and adult players, past and present, from local adult leagues. It consists of families, friends, business sponsors, and the many adults who support youth soccer with their time, as coaches, administrators, and referees. The soccer community thanks our families for allowing us our healthy obsession. MediaFirst PR - Atlanta is one of the very many annual sponsors of The Father Christmas Cup. Click for a list of the current sponsors.

How to Donate, Sponsor, Attend or Play

Donate: Funds are raised from donations made by sponsors, donations from participating players, sale of raffle tickets, etc. Donate by mail: Send checks payable to: Father Christmas Cup, Inc. to our address at 5300 Oakbrook Parkway, Suite 200, Norcross, GA 30092.

Sponsor: For corporate sponsorship opportunities please contact Stephen O'Hare. Sponsors may also contribute in-kind donations, goods or services, such as raffle prizes.

Play: The event is an invitational tournament. For adult team registration, please contact Steve Dunbar. For youth team registrations, Neil McNabb.

About Atlanta United

Atlanta United brings Major League Soccer to the Southeast as the league's 22nd franchise. The club's avid fan base has set records in fan participation with 29,000 seats reserved to date for the 2017 inaugural season.

The first sports team to play in the state-of-the-art Mercedes-Benz Stadium currently under construction downtown, Atlanta United is owned by one of the city's most influential businessmen and philanthropists, Arthur M. Blank, and is led by club President Darren Eales. For more information about Atlanta United, including how to become a Founding Member visit: www.atlutd.com and follow @ATLUTD.

About the Father Christmas Cup

The purpose of the Father Christmas Cup is to provide comfort and financial support to a family who will be experiencing their first holiday season without a parent. Each year, the directors of The Father Christmas Cup, Inc., a section 501(c)(3) non-profit, select a beneficiary family or families from the local community. The money is important, but the message of hope and love sent to the family at such a critical time is powerful and life changing.

The idea for the Father Christmas Cup originated from a 1914, World War 1 Christmas truce, when German and English soldiers stopped fighting and played a soccer match in the middle of no-man's land. This powerful depiction of hope for peace, civility, and regard for one's fellow man is the fundamental basis for the Father Christmas Cup. For more information or to make a donation online please visit FatherChristmasCup.org.