Rīga is gearing up for a two-day football party – with NHL stars, rappers, influencers, politicians and some of Latvia’s biggest sporting personalities all set to take to the pitch.
The Rīga Football Festival returns to the Latvian capital on August 15-16, transforming the area outside Rīga Congress Hall into a huge celebration of football, sport and entertainment.
Now in its second year, the free festival will bring together some of Rīga’s best young footballers, 16 neighbourhood teams and a colourful cast of celebrities for two packed days in the heart of the city.
And the headline attraction will be the 5 Star Cup, where hockey players, musicians, politicians, fighters and influencers will swap their usual day jobs for football boots.
KIDS KICK THINGS OFF
The action starts at 10am on Saturday, August 15, when six of Rīga’s leading youth teams compete in the U10 Rīga Football Schools Cup.
The youngsters will battle it out in a 5v5 competition to be crowned the city’s top team. Then things get serious.
From 1pm, 16 teams representing neighbourhoods across Rīga will compete in the Rīga Neighbourhood Football Cup.
The tournament will run throughout the afternoon and evening, progressing from the group stage into the semi-finals, third-place play-off and final.
Professional referees will take charge of the matches, with the neighbourhood champions set to be decided under the lights in front of the festival crowd.
STARS COME OUT
Sunday, August 16, begins with a Run For Fun event led by Ghetto Games founder Raimonds Elbakjans, starting at 10am.
The run finishes at Congress Hall at around 11am, where participants can join a free workout with the Ghetto Games team. Then comes the main event.
From midday, the 5 Star Cup will see eight teams packed with recognisable Latvian faces battling for bragging rights.
Latvia’s hockey stars will be among the names to watch, with NHL defenceman Uvis Jānis Balinskis joined by Eduards Tralmaks, Martins Laviņš and Latvian hockey legend Lauris Dārziņš.
They will face competition from an influencer side featuring Niklāvs Kravalis and Lauris Zalāns.
A rappers’ team will include rolands če, Edgars Bāliņš and Ods, alongside other names from Latvia’s hip-hop scene.
There will also be a team of Latvian politicians, featuring Saeima deputies and other public figures.
Elsewhere, fighters from Bazara 0 Fight Club will enter a team captained by Deniss Stepanovs, while the Bourzma movement will be represented by a side featuring the Kirkils brothers.
Actors and musicians, including the full line-up of the band Bukte, will also compete, while Elbakjans will lead the Ghetto Games team.
RONALDO REF TAKES CHARGE
And the celebrities will not be able to get away with too much.
Leading Latvian referee Andris Treimanis will take charge of the decisive matches.
Treimanis has officiated at major UEFA and international fixtures during his career, and once famously showed Cristiano Ronaldo a yellow card.
So the stars have been warned.
MORE THAN FOOTBALL
The festival is not just about what happens on the pitch.
Across both days, the Congress Hall area will feature live music, DJs, dance and cheerleading performances, spectator competitions and activities for families.
From midday until 6pm, visitors can try Football Darts, panna football, freestyle challenges, TEQBALL, football skills competitions, relay races and inflatable attractions.
A street food zone will also operate throughout the festival.
Activities are being designed for children, young people, families, seniors and people with special needs, with organisers aiming to make the event accessible to as much of the city as possible.
The festival forms part of celebrations surrounding Rīga’s 825th birthday and is organised by Ghetto Games in cooperation with Riga City Municipality and partners.
And best of all for supporters — entry is completely FREE.
Rīga Football Festival
Dates: August 15–16, 2026
Location: Riga Congress Hall, Riga
Admission: Free
Saturday: 10am–10pm
Sunday: From 10am
