2025 Concordia Annual Summit

The Road to World Cup 2026: How North America is Continuing the World Cup Legacy

  • Advancing Human Rights & Social Progress
Jessica Berman, Amy Hopfinger, Emily Olsen, Cindy Parlow Cone, Keith D’Amelio

Session Summary

Important
Quotations

“For everyone who has a newfound appreciation for soccer and greatness, it’s clear: our women are literally the best in the world, and they play in the professional league right here every single year.”
Jessica Berman
“Cross-border collaboration and cross-functional collaboration—the scale is massive. It sets the U.S. up for future events like the 2028 Olympics, the 2031 Women’s World Cup, rugby World Cups, and more.”
Amy Hopfinger
“My personal goal is that by 2030, every kid can walk, ride their bike, or take public transportation to a safe place to play.”
Cindy Parlow Cone
“My hope is that this event brings together resources and great minds to explore everything—from pitch design to transportation—that transcends the tournament itself.”
Keith D’Amelio

Key
Takeaways

  • Unprecedented Scale and Cross-Border Collaboration: The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams across 39 days in three countries, representing the largest sporting event ever hosted and demonstrating innovative cross-border collaboration. This creates new frameworks for international cooperation in sports infrastructure.
  • Soccer Forward Foundation for Equity: US Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation aims to ensure that “by 2030, every kid can walk, ride their bike, or take public transportation to a safe place to play”, focusing on access “regardless of your background, regardless of your zip code.” 
  • Women’s Soccer Leadership: The NWSL represents “the only team sport that when you close your eyes and you think of greatness, you think of women first”, positioning women’s soccer as a powerful vehicle for challenging gender stereotypes.
  • Infrastructure and Innovation Benefits: The tournament enables the creation of the first-ever US National Training Center in Atlanta and drives innovations in pitch research, transportation systems, and sports science that benefit the entire soccer ecosystem.

Action
Items

  • Immediate Actions: Establish Local Soccer Forward Foundation Partnerships to create community access points focused on transportation solutions and safe playing spaces; leverage women’s soccer visibility to develop leadership programs rooted in elite women’s soccer excellence; and implement cross-cultural initiatives utilizing the three-country model for ongoing cultural exchange programs.
  • Medium-Term Goals: Scale infrastructure investments to sustain momentum and secure continued facility improvements benefiting entire soccer ecosystems; apply sports science research from multi-environment tournament experiences to enhance athlete performance; and expand professional women’s soccer by capitalizing on growing interest to strengthen the NWSL and increase opportunities.
  • Long-Term Commitments: Sustain youth access programs to ensure the Soccer Forward Foundation continues beyond the World Cup with measurable community goals; prepare for the 2031 Women’s World Cup by applying 2026 lessons to achieve “equal experiences for the fan and the players”; and maintain cross-border partnerships to continue addressing shared social challenges.
  • Youth Advocacy Focus Areas: Promote gender equality by creating visible role model programs and advocating for equal investment through women’s soccer excellence; and prevent child labor by expanding safe playing spaces and educational partnerships that offer meaningful recreational alternatives.

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