Connecting the World Cup to the community through different touchpoints

When more than 700 kids have the opportunity to run on the court MetLife Stadium There were barely a single fan in the stands at a youth soccer camp on Wednesday, a stark contrast to the 80,000-plus fans who watched Lionel Messi and Argentina beat Canada in the Copa America semifinal at the same venue the night before.

However, the excitement level is just as high.

While the three recent Copa America games at MetLife showcased the appeal of international soccer, US Soccer Foundation and 2026 New York/New Jersey FIFA World Cup Host CommitteeIt also shows the depth that the host committee and all the participants are working hard to develop.

Simply put, the World Cup’s impact on the region needs to extend beyond eight games in New Jersey and six in Philadelphia, said Lauren LaRusso and Bruce Revman, co-managers of the host committee.

LaRusso and Revman said the youth tournament includes students from New Jersey Youth Soccer/US Youth Soccer TOPSoccerthis YMCA of Greater New York and New Jersey State Federation of YMCAs ——This is just one of the measures taken by the committee to get more people to pay attention to the World Cup.

“This day embodies everything the New York/New Jersey Host Committee and our region stands for: diversity, accessibility, inclusion and growing the game of soccer,” they said in a joint statement. “We are committed to using the 2026 World Cup in the lead-up to engage with as many people as possible and leave a lasting legacy in the local community.”

They are committed to achieving this goal with as many partners as possible.

LaRusso and Revman cited the work of traditional strategic partner the U.S. Soccer Foundation, but they also praised the work of local organizations, including New Jersey Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and New Jersey Pride Chamber of Commercethe two sides jointly held this event to commemorate the two years before the first game.

Luis De La Hoz, president of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, said the event is a way for businesses to reach out to New Jersey’s Hispanic community of about 2.5 million people.

“Football means a lot to us,” he said. “It’s not just another economic opportunity. Football is going to make a big difference.”

Gus Penaranda, executive director of the Pride Chamber of Commerce, agreed, saying the connection with minority communities is strong.

“For those who haven’t been to the World Cup, take the Super Bowl, times 1,000, add in the food and the music — that’s what’s going to happen in New York and New Jersey in 2026.”

LaRusso and Revman ensured there would be plenty of time before then.

Reifman said the impact of Wednesday’s events is clear.

“You should see the faces of the parents when they see their kids walk onto the field — it’s a very special feeling,” he said. “When you’re at these events, the hard work becomes a lot easier because that’s why we all do this.”

The event is part of a larger collaboration between the New York/New Jersey Host Committee and the U.S. Soccer Foundation focused on accelerating the Foundation’s efforts to create safe playing fields by 2026 and engage New York and New Jersey in the game of soccer.

Ed Foster-Simeon, CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation, said the foundation is committed to promoting soccer as a vehicle for social impact. He said that over the past 30 years, the foundation has engaged more than 2 million youth from more than 1,000 underserved communities in proven programs.

“Events like today’s celebration are critical to ensuring major events have a positive and lasting impact on youth, especially those from under-resourced communities,” he said. “This is just the beginning, there is more work to do to ensure we use this beautiful sport to strengthen communities and improve the health and well-being of youth before and after competition.” 2026 FIFA World Cup.”