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As Kansas City welcomed the World Cup this summer, over 100 local children were given a new opportunity to step onto the field themselves.
Through the 9th & Van Brunt Soccer League, launched by the National Women’s Soccer League’s (NWSL) Kansas City Current, in partnership with U.S. Soccer, Kansas City Parks and Recreation and the Kansas State Youth Soccer Association. The new 9th & Van Brunt league recreational league covers all associated playing costs for participating teams, coaches and families – a unique approach in a country where the rising costs of youth sports makes soccer inaccessible to many.
The Kansas City league began on July 11, the same day the city hosted a FIFA World Cup quarterfinal and will run through August 29.
The eight-week league also covers many of the expenses that can remain even with free registration. Every player receives a jersey, cleats, shin guards and two soccer balls. Participating coaches can access education and pursue U.S. Soccer licenses at no additional cost, while aspiring referees are offered training and development. Its inaugural teams represent local organizations Estrella De Oro, Guadalupe Centers, Kansas City Parks & Recreation, KC Wadijir, Mattie Rhodes, Ryogoku Soccer Academy and YMCA of Greater Kansas City (Carver Dual Language)
The league is based at the 9th & Van Brunt Athletic Fields, a community park which reopened in 2025 after a $3 million renovation that included two synthetic turf fields, lighting, bleachers, locker rooms, walkways and improved drainage. The renovation marked another long-term investment in infrastructure in a city that is already home to the world’s first purpose-built women’s soccer stadium, CPKC Stadium.
“The new soccer league at 9th and Van Brunt represents a powerful moment of possibility for the youth, coaches and families of Kansas City’s historic Northeast and the surrounding community,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas. “What’s being built here goes far beyond the game. It is a meaningful investment in people, in dreams and in the future of our city.”
By working through organizations already trusted by local families, the club is creating an entry point rooted in community rather than talent identification. While much of youth soccer in the U.S. is built around competitive academies and early selection, this model begins with participation: community partners bring local relationships and knowledge, while the Current and U.S. Soccer provide funding, equipment, facilities and technical support.
Supporting the role models that make play possible
The coach and referee development built into the league addresses another common constraint in community sport.
Many of these programs depend on volunteers, but licensing courses carry fees and require travel or time away from work and family. Providing education through the league makes formal training more accessible and leaves participating organizations with coaches and referees who have skills that they can carry into other teams and leagues.
A similar approach is taking shape elsewhere in the NWSL. In Los Angeles, Angel City FC provides low- and no-cost soccer through 104 public recreation sites, with the goal of reaching 14,000 young people each year. Its Coach Network offers mentorship, funded U.S. Soccer licensing and connections to paid opportunities, with a focus on women, nonbinary people and coaches from communities of color.
Gotham FC, based in the New York City metropolitan area, is using coach education to address yet another challenge: keeping girls in sport.
In partnership with Dove, the team’s Keep Her in the Game initiative works with girls ages 11 to 14, a time when many begin to leave organized sports. During its first year, the program reached 1,783 girls, trained 97 coaches and held workshops with 226 parents and caregivers.
Following the training, the number of coaches who felt confident supporting girls’ social and emotional needs increased by 45%. Ninety-three percent said the Gotham FC program helped them build stronger connections and chemistry among players.
“From empowering coaches with applicable tools to creating safer, more inclusive spaces, Keep Her in the Game is helping ensure every girl not only stays in the game but thrives in it,” said former Gotham FC captain and assistant coach Michelle Betos.
Together, the programs address different points in a young player’s experience. Kansas City is reducing the costs of entering the game. Angel City is expanding neighborhood access and coaching opportunities. Gotham is focused on the support girls need to remain involved as they grow older.
After the tournament
Major sporting events often promise to inspire more children to play. Whether they can act on that inspiration depends on what is available close to home: an affordable program, equipment, a field and someone prepared to coach them.
Supported by a multiyear grant from U.S. Soccer’s Innovate to Grow initiative, the 9th & Van Brunt league has an opportunity to become more than a World Cup-season activation.
As Joe Burger, Executive Director of the Kansas State Youth Soccer Association, put it: “Growing the game takes a village.”
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