Retired Milner confirmed as first player for Liverpool Legends match at Anfield in March 2027

James Milner will return to Anfield as the first confirmed home-team player for the LFC Legends charity match against Inter Milan on 27 March 2027, Liverpool have announced. The 40-year-old, who retired at the end of the 2025-26 season after 658 career appearances, said he is “thrilled” at the chance to “pull on the red shirt again”.

Milner spent eight years at Liverpool after joining on a free transfer from Manchester City in 2015, making 332 appearances and serving as vice-captain. During that spell he helped the club lift six major honours, including the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League title in 2020, before departing for Brighton and Hove Albion in 2023.

“It’s a special place, and playing there in front of the supporters is a feeling like no other,” Milner said in a statement released by the club. “What makes the legends match so special is that it’s about more than football. It’s a chance to give something back to the fans while supporting the work of the LFC Foundation. I’m delighted to be the first to sign up and can’t wait to be part of it.”

The remaining members of Liverpool’s legends squad will be announced in the coming months. The fixture will be the eleventh edition of the annual event, which has raised over £10 million for community projects across Liverpool to date. The most recent instalment, held on 28 March this year, ended in a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund and also marked Jürgen Klopp’s return to the Anfield touchline as an assistant coach for the home side.

Milner’s involvement carries an additional charitable dimension: the James Milner Foundation has supported the LFC Foundation for a decade, helping more than 2,000 children access free activities during school holidays. It recently backed four weeks of free football and multi-sport camps across Anfield and Toxteth, with LFC Foundation coaches working with over 800 children.