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One more team is joining the World Cup.
We’re excited to introduce the squad: 21 project partners working across the sixteen FIFA World Cup 2026 host city regions to expand equitable access to youth sport, play and physical activity.
Play Collective is a joint initiative of the adidas Foundation, Beyond Sport and Common Goal.
Frequently at the heart of their communities, these organizations create safe, joyful, inclusive spaces where young people can move, build confidence and gain a sense of belonging, no matter their circumstances.
As the World Cup shines a light on soccer/fútbol across Canada, Mexico and the United States, Play Collective is channeling that momentum into locally rooted action: investing in community-based sport programming that supports young people’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
Alongside multi-year funding, partners will take part in a cross-continent “Community of Practice” designed to support shared learning, strengthen capacity and help organizations build knowledge as they grow their impact.
CANADA
TORONTO
Scadding Court Community Centre Inc. supports communities in Toronto’s Kensington-Chinatown and Alexandra Park neighborhoods through programs focused on wellbeing, inclusion, youth development, social equity and connection. Through Play Collective, Scadding Court will expand its free, year-round multi-sport youth empowerment model, increasing access to sports like soccer, basketball, tennis, baseball and lacrosse for young people ages 6–17.
Hijabi Ballers creates inclusive, culturally affirming sport spaces for Muslim girls and women through year-round programming, leadership development and support for Muslim-serving sport organizations. Through Play Collective, the organization will pilot “Gym Class 2.0,” giving girls who have disengaged from school-based physical education a second chance to experience sport in a supportive environment.
VANCOUVER
Hope and Health works with Indigenous children and youth through culturally grounded sport programming that builds confidence, pride, health and long-term opportunities. Through Play Collective, Hope and Health will scale its community-rooted model while deepening youth leadership pathways.
OneAbility Games brings together youth with disabilities and competitive athletes through inclusive, adapted sport experiences in the Vancouver area. Through Play Coll3ctive, the organization will build on its multi-sport event model while expanding access, educator engagement and adapted equipment so more young people can take part in inclusive sport with confidence.
México
GUADALAJARA
Fútbol Más México – Guadalajara uses soccer as a tool for socio-emotional development, engaging children and young people through structured sessions grounded in values like respect, joy, responsibility, creativity and teamwork. Through Play Coll3ctive, the organization will adapt its Neighborhoods model to more intentionally center girls and young women through outreach, family engagement and gender-responsive program delivery.
MEXICO CITY
Casa Frida, Refugio LGBTI provides shelter, protection-focused services and community-based support for LGBTIQ+ individuals at risk in Mexico, creating pathways for safety, stability and integration. Through Play Coll3ctive, Casa Frida will strengthen and expand “Copa Migrante LGBTIQ+” as a sustained community space for sport, inclusion and public-space belonging.
Educación para Compartir uses play and sport-based learning to promote global citizenship, inclusive education and meaningful learning opportunities for children, educators and communities. Through Play Collective, the organization will expand its sport-based educational model in public schools, including facilitator, educator and PE teacher training.
MONTERREY
Fútbol Más México – Monterrey brings children and young people together through football-based sessions grounded in respect, joy, responsibility, creativity and teamwork. Through Play Coll3ctive, the organization will transition its work into a more sustained annual program, reaching new young women each year while continuing to support past participants.
Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey will bring its expertise in engineering, data science and education to a soccer-powered STEM learning experience for girls in the Monterrey metropolitan area. Through Play Collective, Tec de Monterrey will support teacher and coach training, school and club-based delivery and hands-on learning that connects soccer with STEM.
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
ATLANTA
BlazeSports America is an adaptive sport organization and legacy of the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games, providing year-round sport and recreation programs for youth and veterans with physical disabilities. Through Play Collective, BlazeSports will strengthen its core adaptive sport programs while expanding access through adaptive soccer, coach development and more consistent, accessible facilities.
BOSTON
Soccer Without Borders uses soccer to support newcomer and underserved youth through programs that combine play, inclusion, academic support, mentorship and leadership development. Through Play Collective, Soccer Without Borders Massachusetts will expand employability skills-building for newcomer youth and pilot a community-based approach in Chelsea.
DALLAS
Puede Network works with young people and families in Oak Cliff, Dallas, using a coordinated approach that brings together academics, athletics, health and leadership. Through Play Coll3ctive, Puede Network will strengthen program quality, coach development and long-term sustainability across its soccer-based youth development model.
HOUSTON
Solel International works with children, youth and low-income communities through arts, culture, storytelling, creative technology and place-based experiences that build belonging, confidence and joy. Through Play Collective, Solel will scale a three-year initiative that integrates sport, arts and storytelling through recurring play and story labs for marginalized youth in Houston.
KANSAS CITY
Special Olympics Kansas provides year-round sports training, competition and Unified Sports programming for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, helping build more inclusive schools and communities. Through Play Collective, Special Olympics Kansas will expand Unified soccer initiatives across Public Schools in Kansas City, Kansas, from elementary skills clinics to middle and high school teams.
LOS ANGELES
CoachArt provides free arts and sports coaching for children living with serious illness and their siblings, bringing hands-on mentorship into reach through one-on-one and group sessions. Through Play Coll3ctive, CoachArt will pilot a “Home-Pitch” adaptive soccer curriculum designed for medically fragile youth who may be hospital-bound or home-shielded.
KEEN LA provides free, non-competitive physical activity programs for children and young adults with disabilities, pairing participants with volunteer coaches for movement, connection and fun. Through Play Collective, KEEN LA will expand its USC Intern Coach Program, connecting more youth with disabilities to one-on-one coaches, mentors and program leaders.
MIAMI
Miami SCORES Powered by Concacaf uses soccer, creative writing and youth-guided service learning to help Miami public school students build confidence, lead healthy lives and make a difference in their communities. Through Play Collective, Miami SCORES will expand to more Miami-Dade County Public Schools, reaching more students, especially girls, in Liberty City and Little Haiti.
NEW YORK / NEW JERSEY
South Bronx United uses soccer as a tool for social change, combining sport with academic enrichment, college prep, mentoring, immigration legal services, workforce development and family support. Through Play Collective, South Bronx United will strengthen mentorship and expand community-based soccer programming that integrates social-emotional learning.
PHILADELPHIA
Safe-Hub Philadelphia creates safe spaces that combine sport, holistic youth development, social-emotional learning and family support to empower young people and strengthen community. Through Play Collective, Safe-Hub will expand its league programming, including public middle school leagues, girls programming and age-specific pathways for young people ages 4–18.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
BORP Adaptive Sports and Recreation empowers youth and adults with mobility and vision disabilities through adaptive sport, fitness and recreation programs that build independence, health, community and belonging. Through Play Collective, BORP will strengthen youth pathways in wheelchair basketball and power soccer while piloting blind soccer programming.
SEATTLE
Special Olympics Washington provides year-round sports training, competition, inclusive health and leadership programming for children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Washington. Through Play Collective, Special Olympics Washington will expand Unified programming into more elementary and middle schools, creating earlier entry points for inclusion and long-term participation.
Thank you to Beyond Sport media partner The Sporting News for being part of the team covering this program throughout the tournament.
Now we’re ready. Let’s play!
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