Euskal Non-League Day: jerseys and VIP tickets giveaway

The Euskal Non-League Day (NLD) event on 9 and 10 September is fast approaching and we now know some of the highlights planned for the weekend.

Athletic Club, with the aim of promoting grassroots football and encouraging attendance at local grounds, has donated three prizes to each partner club playing at home on NLD day: men's shirts signed by the Lions, women's strips signed by the Lionesses and two VIP tickets for Athletic Club vs Cádiz CF on the weekend after Euskal Non-League Day.

In total, 40 shirts and 40 VIP tickets will be given away by the local partner clubs to those who purchase raffle tickets at NLD matches. In addition, the clubs will donate part of the proceeds to social or cultural organisations in their local community, in keeping with the spirit of the initiative.

It should be remembered that the British social movement Non-League Day was born in 2010 with the aim of taking advantage of a weekend without Premier League matches to support non-professional football.

Athletic Club, aware that the values promoted by this community initiative have a direct connection with our identity, is the first LaLiga team to dedicate such a weekend to highlighting the importance of grassroots football while encouraging attendance at local grounds.

The initiative coincides with Athletic's 125th anniversary celebrations and calls on the Athleticzale family to join in this tribute to affiliated clubs and their communities.

After all, Euskal Non-League Day is an event that encapsulates the sense of belonging that distinguishes Athletic Club and our unbreakable bond with youth and grassroots football in The Basque Country.

Scheduled Non-League Day matches with shirt and ticket raffles

The clubs participating in this first edition of the Euskal Non-League Day are from all over the Basque Country and different divisions: 2nd RFEF, 3rd RFEF, División de Honor and Preferente, in the men's football, and Liga Vasca in the women's football. Those clubs playing official matches on NLD dates have asked their respective federations to play at home and, for the moment, these are the fixtures we are aware of:

The 2nd RFEF Division brings us one the Euskal Non-League Day's biggest matches, as Arenas Club take on Barakaldo CF, at a time to be determined, in the famous "Cage" of Gobela.

In 3rd RFEF, the NLD matches will be the following, with times still to be confirmed:

Aurrera vs Anaitasuna, at Zaldupe, Ondarroa.
Basconia vs Derio, at Lezama.
Deusto vs San Ignacio, at Etxezuri, Bilbao.
Leioa vs Touring, at Sarriena, Leioa.
Cultural vs Padura, at Tabira, Durango.

In the Liga Vasca, the women's clubs NLD Leioako Emakumeak, Erandioko Betiko Neskak and CD Lakua still do not know their opponents yet.

On the other hand, the División de Honor clubs (without official competition on these dates) and Gordexola (in the Preferente league) have already started preparing their NLD friendlies, as well as selling raffle tickets for the shirts and VIP tickets. These are the matches scheduled with confirmed kick-off times:

Erandio vs Bermeo, Saturday 9 at 18:30 in Ategorri, Erandio.
Indautxu vs Dinamo San Juán, Saturday 9 at 17:30 in Iparralde, Bilbao.
Santurtzi vs Getxo, Saturday 9 at 17:00 in San Jorge, Santurtzi.
Somorrostro vs Sodupe, Saturday 9 at 19:00 in Malecón, Somorrostro.
Gordexola vs Aranguren, Saturday 9 at Juan José Meltxisidor, Gordexola.
Amurrio vs Orduña, Saturday 9 at 18:00 at Basarte, Amurrio.

In Bayonne, a very special double-header will be held between Aviron and Antiguoko, our partner clubs in Lapurdi and Gipuzkoa.

In Nafarroa, our affiliated club in Pamplona, UDC Txantrea, CD Oberena and Pamplona, are awaiting their fixture list to check see if they can compete on NLD. Aviron and Antiguoko are in a similar situation.

Over the next few weeks, Athletic Club will be providing updates on the matches to be played in this first edition of the Euskal Non-League Day. What's more, in the days leading up to the weekend of September 9 and 10, special focus will be placed on the clubs taking part in the event.