GOAL MTL 2024: What it's like at football & charity's biggest day of the year in Montreal

On July 28, the 14th edition of the Montreal sports charity Goal Initiatives Foundation's annual event GOAL MTL took off like a historic shot at the net.

An event where hundreds upon hundreds of locals, business owners, artists, and sports fans and pros get together the city explores the cultures of health, wellness, and inclusivity through play, it was a huge day for football and charity—we were there to capture the action, naturally.

It was an amazing party: 23 teams and 69 fundraisers gathered to support GOAL's campaign, with proceeds from on-site purchases helping fund refurbishing Verdun Elementary School’s football pitch and a 16-week lunchtime program on sports and nutrition with football veteran Patrice Bernier of CF Montréal at Saint-Henri’s James Lyng High School.

Passing an on-site silent auction and cold dunk tanks with athletic massage stations by the entrance, you could find everything from a tye-dye station to tattoos by Linus of the Sud-Ouest’s Burning Monk Tattoo, and free haircuts from Maison Privée.

Alongside an on-site bar from Burgundy Lion Pub, Café Olimpico was slinging espresso, Bossa kept everyone fuelled with hoagies and salads, Léché Desserts was making donut ice cream sandwiches, and all kinds of sponsors were present to show support (occasionally in pickle suits).

The temperatures were high, but the vibes were higher.

As the event's founder Paul Desbaillets described to us in a past interview: “What’s beautiful about GOAL is its ability to bring together various groups and industries—bars, restaurants, entrepreneurs, you name it—in a real melting pot. We’re uniting under one banner despite our differences.”

Photography by Jonah Shantz (@jonahshantz), check out more of their work here.

Couldn't make it out to the event? You can still show support: Donate to the Goal Initiatives Foundation.