As World Cup 2026 approaches, U.S. Soccer’s Innovate to Grow (ITG) funding is quietly turning schools and after‑school programs into the front line of soccer growth—giving kids, especially in underserved communities, new chances to play without the usual travel‑team price tag. Many of the newest ITG‑backed projects are built around school‑day or after‑school access, local fields, and low‑ or no‑cost offerings that meet kids where they already are: at school and in their own neighborhoods.
FIFA’s 3‑million‑dollar investment in U.S. Soccer’s ITG initiative, tied to the 2026 World Cup legacy push, is flowing into projects that expand soccer in schools and after‑school settings, not just in traditional clubs. That includes curriculum‑based programs that help teachers bring soccer into the school day, after‑school leagues that eliminate financial barriers, and community‑school partnerships that turn school fields into hubs for low‑cost, small‑sided play.
In practical terms, families will start to see more flyers about soccer coming from principals and PE teachers, not just local clubs. For many kids—especially those whose families can’t afford travel fees or long drives—these school‑anchored efforts will be their most realistic pathway into the game.
Atlanta: A World Cup Host City Shows What This Can Look Like
In and around Atlanta, a 2026 World Cup host city, an ITG‑funded partnership between AYSO and Georgia Soccer is already bringing no‑ or low‑cost programming to 13 community sites where access to organized soccer has historically been limited. The model leans heavily on schools and neighborhood facilities, using familiar locations and trusted local partners to reach kids who were previously on the outside looking in.
Separate ITG grants are helping Georgia Soccer build the adult infrastructure around those players, including a coaching initiative that fully funds licenses for new grassroots coaches, many of whom are parents and school‑connected volunteers. There is also a referee grant that covers certification, uniforms, and background checks for hundreds of new referees, paired with mentorship and a focus on improving sideline culture.
For parents, that often means the person coaching or refereeing their child’s game is better prepared, better supported, and less likely to burn out.
Across the country, ITG dollars are being used to test ideas that make soccer part of everyday school life:
- School‑day curriculum and PE: Turnkey programs that give PE teachers age‑appropriate soccer lesson plans, equipment, and training, so the game shows up in more gym classes and recess periods—not just on club fields.
- After‑school soccer with no paywall: Partnerships between local soccer organizations and school districts to offer free or low‑fee after‑school soccer, often including homework help, snacks, and safe transportation home.
- Girls’ and inclusion‑focused school clubs: Middle‑ and high‑school initiatives that create girls‑only teams or clubs, leadership opportunities, and adaptive programs for students with disabilities, all using school facilities as the home base.
Because these projects are set up as pilots, U.S. Soccer and its members are watching closely: What keeps kids coming back? What makes it easier for teachers and school staff to support soccer? The most successful school and after‑school models are then packaged as case studies and shared so other communities can copy them.
Innovate to Grow Background
Behind the scenes, Innovate to Grow is a competitive grant fund run by U.S. Soccer. Member organizations—state associations, national youth groups, disability soccer organizations, and others—apply with new ideas to, bring more kids into the game (especially those who’ve been left out), remove cost, distance, or cultural barriers, improve the experience for coaches, referees, and families and create models that can be copied in other cities if they work.
U.S. Soccer and its partners then co‑fund the best proposals. Many of the newest projects happen to be school‑based or deeply tied to schools and after‑school programs, because that’s where the biggest participation upside is as the World Cup approaches.