Hartlepool to host memorial shield football tournament at former school of journalist and humanitarian Syed Taalay Ahmed
Hartlepool will host a charity football tournament in memory of a town-born journalist, sportsman and humanitarian.
The Syed Taalay Ahmed Memorial Shield Tournament 2026 will take place at High Tunstall College of Science on Saturday, May 16.
Taalay, 31, a Hartlepool-born journalist, humanitarian, and member of the town’s Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, tragically lost his life in Ghana in 2021.
The married father-of-two, who attended High Tunstall College of Science, was killed in an armed ambush while making a documentary on the work of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community.
He played cricket for Hartlepool, Wolviston and Hartlepool Power Station clubs and Gents FC.
Staged by Muslim youth organisation MKA UK, the annual football tournament honours his life and legacy and raises money for charity.
Organisers said: “Now entering its fourth year, the tournament has grown into a major community fundraising event, bringing together teams, families, and supporters from across the UK in the spirit of faith, football, and unity.
“Since 2023, the tournament has raised more than £13,000 for charitable causes including the Syed Taalay Ahmed Scholarship, YMCA, and Humanity First.”
This year funds raised will support the Syed Taalay Ahmed Scholarship supporting underprivileged young people in Ghana to access education and the Mayor of Hartlepool’s chosen charities Alice House Hospice and Hartlepool Baby Bank.
Saturday’s memorial tournament at 11am-4pm will feature competitive matches, community engagement activities, fundraising initiatives, and tributes celebrating Taalay’s life and impact both locally and internationally.
People are welcome to attend.
For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to donate, please visit the event’s official fundraising page at www.justgiving.com/team/syedtaalay2026?utm_medium=TE&utm_source=WA