GRASSROOT SOCCER BRINGS YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMMING TO THE UNITED STATES AHEAD OF THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP

Global nonprofit launches soccer-based mental health programs in Seattle, Miami, and Colorado, timed to the World Cup and Mental Health Awareness Month

MIAMI, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Grassroot Soccer (GRS), the global nonprofit that has reached more than 25 million young people in over 60 countries using soccer as a platform for health, today announced the launch of its mental health programming in the United States.

Timed to the start of Mental Health Awareness Month and the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, the organization is bringing its evidence-based programming to communities in Seattle, Miami, and Colorado – partnering with local youth organizations, soccer foundations, and community groups to deliver mental health information and life skills to young people through the game they love.

Founded in 2002 by Dr. Tommy Clark and co-founders Ethan Zohn, Kirk Friedrich, and Methembe Ndlovu, Grassroot Soccer has spent more than two decades using soccer to address the most pressing health challenges facing adolescents globally, from HIV prevention in sub-Saharan Africa to growing mental health needs in communities worldwide. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, the largest sporting event ever held in the United States, creates a unique moment for Grassroot Soccer to introduce its proven approach to American communities at a time when youth mental health challenges are at an all-time high.

"The 2026 World Cup is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to show what soccer can do beyond the beautiful game," said Clark, Grassroot Soccer's Founder and CEO. "For more than 20 years, we've seen how sport and mentorship can open doors for young people to gain essential health knowledge and build the life skills they need to thrive. U.S. partners have been asking us to bring our approach to their communities after seeing the impact of our work in Africa, and the World Cup gives us the right moment to do it."

Grassroot Soccer's U.S. programming centers on mental health activities adapted from its signature MindSKILLZ curriculum – an evidence-based program that uses soccer metaphors, positive coaching, and on-field activities to teach young people practical mental health skills including stress management, resilience, emotional regulation, and help-seeking behaviors. The program has been implemented across Grassroot Soccer's global network and has shown measurable results, including cutting rates of depression nearly in half among participants in Kenya. Local coaches across each expansion city will be trained to deliver the program, ensuring the work is grounded in each community long after the World Cup window closes.

In Seattle/Tacoma, Grassroot Soccer received a grant from the Names Family Foundation to run programs in Pierce County, with partners including the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, YMCAs, and Washington Youth Soccer. In Miami, a grant from Soccer Forward Foundation and Telemundo supports programs, with partners including love.fútbol and Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County. In Colorado, Grassroot Soccer has established a partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver for regular after-school programming and is launching the Grassroot Soccer MindSKILLZ Cup with the Colorado Soccer Foundation.

"Soccer gave me a platform to help build Grassroot Soccer, and now we have a chance to bring what we've learned from our work in Africa to young people in the United States," said Ethan Zohn, Grassroot Soccer co-founder and winner of CBS's Survivor: Africa. "The World Cup is going to bring the whole country together around this sport. That's exactly when we want to be out on the field, teaching young people that their mental health matters and that they have the tools to handle what life throws at them."

The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19 across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Grassroot Soccer will operate on-the-ground programs and community events throughout the tournament, with a series of key activations including the Grassroot Soccer MindSKILLZ Cup in Aurora, Colorado (May 26-29); a Grassroot Soccer MindSKILLZ clinic with Broward County Boys & Girls Clubs in metro Miami (May 22); and World Cup programming with the Puyallup Tribe of Indians in Tacoma, Washington (June 19 to July 6).

ABOUT GRASSROOT SOCCER
Grassroot Soccer (GRS) is a global adolescent health organization that uses the power of soccer to equip young people with the knowledge, skills, and support they need to live healthier lives. Founded in 2002 by professional soccer players in response to the HIV crisis in Zimbabwe, GRS delivers evidence-based, soccer-themed programs that engage youth, break down barriers, and empower informed health choices. For more information, please visit GrassrootSoccer.org.

SOURCE Grassroot Soccer