THE Reebok Stadium will stage an international charity match involving some of the world's best footballers in March.

The Kanu Heart Foundation has announced the staging of the match between an Africa Select XI and a Rest of the World XI to be played at Wanderers on Tuesday, March 4, kick off 8pm.

Among the players invited are World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo, Brazilian World Cup winners Roberto Carlos and Cafu, Real Madrid stars Makelele, Zinedine Zidane, Raul and Figo, Manchester United superstar David Beckham, FC Barcelona and Dutch International Patrick Kluivert and the Juventus and French International Thuram.

Players who have already agreed to take part are Arsenal's top players Patrick Vieira, Sol Campbell, Ashley Cole, Thierry Henry and Kanu. From Chelsea Mario Melchiot and Marcel Desailly will make the trip to the Reebok and Graeme Souness has agreed that six of his Blackburn Rovers first team squad will be available (Brad Friedel, Damien Duff, David Thompson, Tugay, Dwight Yorke, Andy Cole).

Wanderers will be represented by influential midfielder Jay Jay Okocha, French World Cup Winner Youri Djorkaeff, Jamaican International Ricardo Gardner and Finnish stopper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

The Africa Select XI will be managed by former Liverpool and England International John Barnes, while Wanderers' manager Sam Allardyce will take charge of the Rest of the World side.

Ticket information will be released shortly, with tickets scheduled to go on sale on Monday, February 10, from the Reebok Stadium Ticket Office tel: 0871 871 2932 and the Piccadilly Box Office, Manchester tel: 0161 832 1111.

Corporate Hospitality details will also be released shortly. Further information is available from the Corporate Sales Team at the Reebok Stadium on 01204 673760.

Paul Okoye, the Chief Executive of the Kanu Heart Foundation, said: "This match will give supporters throughout the North West the opportunity to see the world's greatest players in one of the finest stadiums in Europe.

"The Kanu Heart Foundation's ultimate aim is to raise enough money through receipts from the match to put smiles on the faces of at least 40 African children with heart problems.