U.S. Soccer Foundation Names Telemundo First Official Spanish-Language Media Partner

The U.S. Soccer Foundation today named NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises as the organization’s first official and exclusive Spanish-language media partner.

Through this partnership, Telemundo joins the Foundation in its efforts to advance soccer as a means for helping children in underserved communities reach their full potential, including supporting the Foundation’s signature Soccer for Success youth program, which provides free or low-cost soccer programs during and after school at more than 250 sites nationally.

In anticipation of and to build excitement among soccer fans for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™, Telemundo, the exclusive U.S. Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup, will also team up with the Foundation to jointly host a series of Soccer for Success jamboree celebrations in cities across the country, including Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Houston, Chicago, Boston, and Orlando.

The family-friendly events will be held in partnership with local community partners and feature Telemundo talent and employees, with opportunities for attendees to play, watch, and celebrate soccer leading up to the FIFA World Cup taking place in Qatar from Nov. 21 through Dec. 18.

“We can’t think of a better way to celebrate the World Cup—the best soccer in the world—than by joining forces with the U.S. Soccer Foundation,” said Christina Kolbjornsen, SVP, Corporate & External Affairs, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “We are humbled by their long-standing efforts to improve children’s lives through soccer and ensure access to the game for every child who wants to play. Soccer is about joy and fun, bringing families together, and empowering children to show what can be possible. We’re looking forward to helping the Foundation do even more for Hispanic communities and enjoying the game together all year long.”

“We are delighted to welcome Telemundo as our official Spanish-language media partner,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “Far too many children don’t have access to safe places to play or affordable soccer programs that can help them develop critical life skills and healthy habits. This partnership with Telemundo will help us continue to expand our programs nationwide and bring more supporters to our cause.”

As part of the partnership, Telemundo will support the Foundation’s Soccer for Success after-school program, operated in close partnership with more than 60 organizations across 250 sites nationally. Nearly half of all Soccer for Success participants identify as Hispanic or Latino and nearly 40% are girls. The program is proven to help children establish positive social, emotional, and physical health behaviors and develop critical life skills. Led by trained coach-mentors after school and by physical education and classroom teachers during the school day, Soccer for Success is offered at little or no cost to participants and their families. The program goes far beyond teaching soccer fundamentals. In fact, an evaluation of the after-school program found that 88% of participants work better on a team, 86% stay away from anti-social behaviors, and 83% improve their health outcomes after participation in the program.

Telemundo joins the Foundation as a partner in its longstanding work to combat inequities that exist in communities of color across the U.S. According to Active Living Research, one study found that 70 percent of African American and Hispanic neighborhoods did not have any recreational facilities. In comparison, only 38 percent of white neighborhoods lacked recreational facilities. Furthermore, only about one third of Black and Hispanic children ages 6 to 12 play sports on a regular basis according to the most recent State of Play report from the Aspen Institute’s Project Play.

The partnership was announced ahead of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Urban Soccer Symposium, an annual event in Washington, D.C. that brings together changemakers using the power of sport to positively impact youth and communities nationwide. The Symposium will feature a fireside chat with a representative from Telemundo to discuss the partnership, the importance of soccer in U.S. Hispanic communities, and the network’s El Poder en Ti corporate social responsibility programming.

In addition, Telemundo is also a Gold Sponsor of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Congressional Soccer Match, which will be held on April 27 at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. The widely attended event features Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and sports legends going head-to-head for the ultimate Republican vs. Democrat showdown. The event also features embassy staffers participating in a mini-FIFA World Cup style competition and a round-robin Staffer Tournament. Admission is free and open to the public and tickets will be made available soon.