Football and Gaelic will come together this Saturday in a celebration full of heart, pride and Highland spirit.
Alba FA, Scotland’s Gaelic football team, will welcome Kernow FA from Cornwall for a Celtic Nations fixture at Canal Park in Inverness.
This isn’t just a match, it’s a moment.
From noon, young footballers are invited to a Gaelic-medium session where the beautiful game will be played entirely in Gaelic.
Every child who takes part gets free entry to the 3pm kick-off.
The day builds to a crescendo with pipes, Highland dancing and national anthems as the teams take to the pitch in front of what promises to be a passionate crowd.
Driving it all is Calum Ferguson, a former Inverness Caley Thistle striker and lifelong champion of the Gaelic language.
He was one of the first pupils at Central Primary when it became the Highlands’ first Gaelic-medium school four decades ago.
Now he’s building a national team made up entirely of Gaelic speakers, but this isn’t only for speakers or learners, it’s for everyone who loves football, culture and community.
“You don’t have to speak Gaelic to come along,” says Calum.
“It’s a celebration of what football can do.
“It brings people together and we want Gaelic to be part of that future.”
He knows the power of football to inspire.
Alongside Alba FA, Calum also helped launch FC Sonas, a Gaelic community club that runs regular sessions for children and young people.
Saturday’s match is part of a bigger plan.
With support from Highland Council, the event forms part of a growing movement to use Gaelic in places beyond the classroom.
Calum recently spoke at the council’s Gaelic conference about how the language can create jobs, connections and confidence, especially for young people.
This match, and the team behind it, are showing exactly what that looks like.
It’s about pride, about possibility, about bringing language alive through something we already love.
So thig còmhla rinn, join us.
Bring your voice, your cheers and your passion to Canal Park this Saturday.
Watch two Celtic nations take the field.
Feel the music, the rhythm, the stories behind the sport.
Because when Gaelic and football meet, it’s more than a game.
It’s a celebration of who we are and where we’re going.