Bengaluru, February 28, 2026: Going to School, a creative not for profit trust, in partnership with the Government of Karnataka, Oracle, BT Group, the British Asian Trust and Bengaluru FC Soccer Schools, successfully kicked off Match Day 2026 in Bengaluru. The large scale event celebrated life skills, digital learning, sport and climate action, bringing together more than 2,000 students from 18 government schools.
Held at the Jay Prakash Narayan Sports Ground in JP Nagar, Match Day 2026 formed part of the Outdoor School for Girls and Boys programme. Delivered through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Karnataka, the initiative equips girls from Grades 5 to 10 with future ready skills. The curriculum blends football, STEM learning, digital literacy, life skills and sustainable entrepreneurial education to help students transition confidently from school to higher education, employment or green enterprise start ups.
The event created an energetic learning environment where sport and technology worked side by side. Students rotated through mini football matches led by Bengaluru FC coaches and coding challenges managed by volunteers from Oracle and BT Group. Nine dedicated tents hosted hands on activities, including AI powered calculator building and climate focused quiz design. Every 15 minutes, teams switched between football and coding tasks, guided by MCs, a live DJ and digital leaderboards tracking performance.
Match Day brought together 36 student teams supported by over 100 corporate volunteers. The day also featured interactive question and answer sessions with representatives from key partners, encouraging open dialogue about digital inclusion, education and climate change solutions.
Sustainability remained central to the event. Match Day 2026 was organised as a zero plastic initiative, with locally sourced meals served on leaf plates. Climate messaging was integrated across the venue, reinforcing the programme’s focus on green jobs and sustainable city solutions.
Ian McBride, Head of Social Impact at BT Group India, highlighted the importance of the long standing partnership with Going to School, noting that volunteers play a key role in scaling digital skills through sport. Lisa Heydlauff, CEO of Going to School, described Match Day as an opportunity for young people to learn, play and imagine futures shaped by technology, climate awareness and entrepreneurship.
Currently active in Bengaluru and Raichur, the Outdoor School for Girls aims to expand to five rural districts across Karnataka over the next three years, strengthening its mission to help girls complete school and become city changing entrepreneurs.
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