Members of Swindon's Ukrainian community made the trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool to cheer on their national side, Swindon24 reported on Tuesday 9 June 2026. Ukraine were playing England's women in a FIFA Women's World Cup qualifier.
The match
- England won 3-0.
- The goals came from Jess Carter, Georgia Stanway and Beth Mead.
- More than 26,000 supporters were in the ground.
How the trip came about
The journey was arranged through community networks backed by Pattern Church and Swindon Welcomes Ukraine, a volunteer-led partnership that has supported hundreds of people rebuilding their lives locally.
Ian Howard, a Swindon24 sports reporter who sits on the Swindon Welcomes Ukraine committee and volunteers at Pattern Church, helped to organise it.
He said: "Being able to come together and support Ukraine was very special." He added: "Football has a unique ability to unite people."
Swindon's Ukrainian community
Swindon24 said more than 500 Ukrainians were living in Swindon, having settled in the borough through the Homes for Ukraine schemes since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. It described the community as one of the largest in Wiltshire.
The report added that plans were progressing for Swindon to twin formally with the western Ukrainian city of Rivne.
Source: Swindon24.