Sports Stars to Appear During Twitch’s ‘Stream Aid’ Fundraiser

Streaming platform Twitch will raise money for coronavirus relief efforts with the 21st-century version of a benefit concert, featuring some of the biggest names in music, entertainment and sports. 

The 12-hour “Stream Aid” event, which begins at noon ET on Saturday, with all proceeds going toward the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Fund.

Celebrities scheduled to take part include Joe Jonas, John Legend, Diplo and Steve Aoki. NFL players Richard Sherman and Darius Slay, British F1 racer Lando Norris, Olympic gymnast Aly Raisman, golfer Greg Norman and MLS player Walker Zimmerman are among the athletes slated to appear. 

The stream, which can be viewed at twitch.tv/twitch, will feature musical performances and gaming, with participants playing Fortnite and UNO. Twitch will also feature the broadcasts of other streamers using the platform during the event. 

As of Friday, the WHO COVID-19 Solidarity Fund has raised $240.9 million, with another $29.3 million pledged. The organization says at least $675 million is needed to address the outbreak in countries most in need of assistance, with that number likely to increase as the situation continues to evolve. 

More than 561,000 people in 171 countries have been infected by the coronavirus and more than 26,000 have died.