As the whistle pierces the Wembley air on August 10th and Crystal Palace laces up against Liverpool in the FA Community Shield, the pitch will buzz with the energy of tens of thousands. Each pass, tackle, and goal will echo through a global symphony of spectators. But amid this thunderous spectacle, a single, chilling truth will cut through — drowning doesn’t make a sound.
In a game where fans shout themselves hoarse for a goal, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is asking us to listen for the silence — because in the same 90 minutes that define a football match, 11 people will drown in Africa. That’s nearly a team lost every game. And most of them will vanish without a scream, splash, or shout.
The game is loud. Drowning is silent. Let’s change that score.
That’s the message that will flash across Wembley’s LED boards — not a mere slogan, but a sobering substitution onto football’s grandest stage. It’s a cross-field pass from sport to humanity, as NSRI uses the beautiful game to spotlight one of the continent’s quietest killers.
We cannot afford to be silent about drowning. While fans celebrate goals, another family could be silently losing someone to drowning. We need to rally as passionately for drowning prevention as we do for the teams that we support.
A Crisis Hiding in Plain Sight
According to the World Health Organization, 66,000 people drown in Africa each year — a tragedy too often overlooked. It’s a silent crisis, not splashed across headlines, but whispered in empty bathtubs, unsupervised beaches, and forgotten rural rivers. Unlike a missed penalty or a red card foul, no one sees it coming.
Yet, this match offers more than medals and momentary glory. The FA Community Shield, rooted in community upliftment, provides a symbolic and strategic venue for NSRI’s campaign. Every pass, every corner, every cheer becomes a chance to kickstart conversations around water safety.
Anyone can drown, but no one should. This is preventable. We have the tools, the people, and the programmes. What we need is awareness and action.
A Simple Message with Life-Saving Stakes
While most fans will be glued to the game, NSRI is asking them to glance at the LED boards — and then act. Viewers are urged to SMS their name to 32287 after seeing the message, not just for the chance to win a big-screen TV, but to make a life-saving commitment.
Each text is a fan’s way of stepping onto the pitch for humanity — becoming a defender against drowning.
We want people to remember that moment during the game and carry it beyond the final whistle. To talk about water safety, to teach their children, and to support our drowning prevention and rescue services.
Behind the Goalposts: NSRI's Life-Saving Work
Far from the limelight of Wembley, NSRI volunteers are the goalkeepers of South Africa’s waters — vigilant, selfless, and always on call. They respond to over 1,000 emergencies every year. But prevention, not just reaction, is their true playmaker.
In 2024, NSRI instructors delivered over 877,000 water safety lessons and taught 25,000 children how to survive in water. These numbers are no statistics — they’re saved goals, saved lives.
Their operations rely on the generosity of the public. Donations keep rescue boats in the water, survival swimming centres running, and safety education flowing into the communities that need it most.
From Wembley to the Waves
This Sunday, as jerseys clash and chants rise like a wall behind each goalpost, the NSRI will ask the world to look beyond the game.
When the teams kick off at Wembley and the LED boards light up with NSRI’s message, we hope that every cheer in the stadium becomes a cheer for saving lives as well. Together, let’s change the score, one life at a time.
In football, it’s the goals that matter. But in life, it’s the ones we stop from slipping through the net that count most.
To support the NSRI’s campaign and stand a chance to win a TV, SMS your name to 32287. Every message is one more step toward changing the score on drowning.
