Business, sport and a cause: WhiteBIT Australia hosts the Huddle Up in Melbourne

Super Bowl XXIX Champion and five-time Pro Bowler Ricky Watters will join an invitation-only group of Australian business leaders on September 10 for an evening supporting a proposed flag football program for children in Lviv.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, Sept. 04, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WhiteBIT Australia will host an invitation-only business event in Melbourne on September 10 to raise funds for young athletes in Ukraine. Super Bowl XXIX Champion and five-time Pro Bowler Ricky Watters will join the event as its special guest and Honorary Head Coach.

The Field of Hope program is being developed with the Lviv Lions and will give young Ukrainians the chance to be part of a team and continue playing sport despite the disruption of war.

The event will bring together founders, investors, executives, senior professionals and partners from financial services, technology, digital assets, payments, investment and sport. It will also raise funds for the proposed Field of Hope Ukraine Flag Football program, supporting young players in Lviv with equipment, coaching and opportunities to train and compete. It is the first in a planned series of WhiteBIT Australia events bringing together business, community and philanthropic initiatives.

Rather than following a traditional networking format, the evening will unfold as a competitive game. Guests are drafted into teams for Huddle Up, a business networking competition run by Watters: teams compete through a series of plays built around business introductions and challenges, regroup at half-time, and the night closes with awards for the standout players.

 

"You don't build a relationship across a meeting table. You build it doing something together," - said WhiteBIT Australia CEO Rosa Pagani. "That's what this series is for. We are privileged to have the opportunity to enjoy a great night out, while there are kids in Ukraine living in circumstances they never chose. If we can help, of course we will. That's the way we do things, we get involved."

Playing for something bigger

The Field of Hope program is being developed with the Lviv Lions and will give young Ukrainians the chance to be part of a team and continue playing sport despite the disruption of war.

The initiative comes as flag football prepares to make its Olympic debut at the Los Angeles 2028 Games, creating a new international pathway for young athletes.

"For these kids from 10 to 18 years old, being able to train and play together gives them something positive and normal to look forward to," Oksana Khrupa, a member of the Lviv Lions leadership team, said, "With flag football heading to the Olympic Games, there is now an incredible future for the sport. We want children in Ukraine to be able to see themselves as part of that future.Supporting them now means believing in the country we want to see tomorrow."

The cause has particular significance for WhiteBIT. Founded by Ukrainian entrepreneur Volodymyr Nosov, the company has contributed more than 460 million hryvnia — around A$14 million — to humanitarian and community initiatives in the country since the start of the full-scale invasion.

"Our company has Ukrainian roots. No matter how global WhiteBIT and W Group become, that connection will always be part of who we are," said Founder of WhiteBIT and President of W Group Volodymyr Nosov. “I am proud that our Australian team is using the network it is building on the other side of the world to create opportunities for Ukrainian children. These young people deserve the chance to play, compete, dream big and look forward to their future."

The partners

The event is being produced by the LEGACY Program, Legends Empowering Generation Athletes and Community, operated by City Helpers LLC, which connects retired professional athletes with community, civic and charitable initiatives.

"Sport has always had an incredible ability to bring people together who might otherwise never meet," said Vincent Versher of the LEGACY Program. "With this event, we're taking that energy off the field and putting it into a room full of people who have the ability to make things happen — and, at the same time, help young athletes in Ukraine stay connected to the game."

The fundraising campaign is supported by the EffortX Foundation, which focuses on making charitable impact visible and measurable and on giving supporters transparency into where contributions go.

"People are far more willing to help when they can understand what they're helping to make happen," said EffortX Founder Daniel Ingamells. "This isn't an abstract cause. There are real kids in Lviv who want to train, play and compete."

The campaign is open to the public, not only guests attending the Melbourne event. Contributions are processed through the EffortX platform, which tracks how funds are allocated and used.

To support the Field of Hope Ukraine Flag Football program, visit the campaign page.

 

This is an independently hosted private function taking place during Melbourne's big sporting week. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or associated with the National Football League or any related organisation.

 

ABOUT WHITEBIT AU

WhiteBIT Australia is part of W Group, a global fintech ecosystem that makes blockchain and crypto easy, secure, and accessible for everyone. Over 40 million users across 150 countries worldwide. WhiteBIT Australia provides digital asset services to the Australian market and is building partnerships across financial services, payments, technology and institutional markets.

 

ABOUT THE PARTNERS

LEGACY Program

Legends Empowering Generation Athletes and Community, operated by City Helpers LLC, connects retired professional athletes from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and Formula 1 with community, civic and charitable initiatives worldwide.

LVIV LYONS - Field of Hope Ukraine Flag Football Initiative

A program supporting Ukrainian kids in Lviv with equipment, coaching, training and opportunities to play and compete despite the ongoing impact of war.

EffortX Foundation

Supports projects that turn community action into measurable impact, with a focus on transparency around how funds are raised, distributed and used.

 

MEDIA ENQUIRIES
WhiteBIT Australia, Media & Partnerships — partnerships@whitebit.au 

email: rosa.p@whitebit.au

 

 

Ukrainian Children from Lviv Lyons Flag Football Club

About WhiteBIT Australia

WhiteBIT Australia is part of W Group, a global fintech ecosystem that makes blockchain and crypto easy, secure, and accessible for everyone. Over 40 million users across 150 countries worldwide. WhiteBIT Australia provides digital asset services to the Australian market and is building partnerships across financial services, payments, technology and institutional markets.

Press Inquiries

Rosa Pagani
rosa.p@whitebit.au
https://whiteBIT.au
Melbourne Victoria.Australia