Society and Culture Where goals begin: Visa teams up with Street Soccer USA

Anyone who’s participated in youth sports knows it’s more than just a game — it’s a foundation for building character, confidence and community that can shape a young life far beyond the field. Thanks to a sponsorship of nonprofit organization Street Soccer USA, Visa, in collaboration with Bank of America, is enabling Street Soccer to turn patches of pavement and underutilized spaces into purpose-driven soccer parks, places where communities gather, young people gain life skills and dreams start to form.

“Our mission is to fight poverty and strengthen communities through soccer,” said Lawrence Cann, CEO and founder of Street Soccer USA. “And we’re doing it across the country — and now we’re really proud to be doing it with Visa.”

In the new 10-year partnership with Visa, Street Soccer USA will expand to six cities across the U.S., including Denver, New York, Kansas City and Nashville. But these aren’t just places to play — they’re spaces where the game becomes a gateway.

“We’ll have our kids and communities playing matches and experiencing the park,” Cann said. “But this is also about connecting them to mentorship, education and job opportunities. Soccer is the beginning. The mission is to develop human beings for the next step in life.”

Each park will feature two professional-grade Bank of America fields, providing facilities with lighting for evening events, digital scoreboards, learning centers and seating areas for spectators and special events.

Street Soccer USA’s curriculum now includes financial literacy training — thanks in part to Visa’s support — as well as mentorship, job connections and pathways to education.

“These parks unite communities,” Cann explained at the San Francisco ribbon cutting event. “It’s a celebration of the power of sport, which is really a gateway for kids to grow and achieve their potential.”

For Visa, the partnership is about harnessing the everyday power of play to create long-term change. Each pass becomes a lesson in teamwork. Every save tells a story of resilience. And each goal is a small step toward a bigger, brighter future.