Common Goal Launches Play Proud Coalition Ahead of 2026 Men's World Cup

April 14, 2023

This year, in just the United States, over 480 discriminatory bills that directly impact LGBTQ+ individuals have been introduced across all but three states - eclipsing 2022’s record more than two times over. At a time when LGBTQ+ rights are under attack worldwide, global impact movement for soccer, Common Goal, plans to fight discrimination on and off the field. Through its global Play Proud initiative, focused on advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion, it is working in regions fighting against discriminatory bills and in 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup host cities.   

Committed to ensuring that the 2026 World Cup is the most inclusive men’s soccer tournament in history, Common Goal has launched a coalition of eight clubs from five leagues across Canada and the United States, their supporters' groups and local grassroots soccer organizations as part of Play Proud. Encompassing clubs from Major Leauge Soccer (MLS), the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL), United Soccer League (USL) and the Canadian Premier League (CPL), the cohort will come together for 100 hours of in-person diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training to help meet its goals. 

2023 Play Proud clubs include Detroit FC (USL Championship), Gotham FC (NWSL), Kansas City Current (NWSL), New Mexico United (USL Championship), Seattle Sounders FC (MLS), Toronto FC (MLS), Union Omaha (USL League One) and Vancouver FC (CPL). Participating grassroots soccer organizations include Canada SCORES Vancouver, Football for the World and South Bronx United, who among other supporters will provide the DEI training along a 6-month roadmap ending in October of this year.

Play Proud takes a holistic and collective approach to creating inclusive soccer communities with a focus on under-resourced and marginalized populations. Focused on fighting back against discrimination, the initiative provides participating clubs and organizations with training, resources and support to help them create inclusive policies and practices within their organizations, enabling access to soccer programming in under-represented communities and upskilling youth-focused coaches in trauma-informed practices.

In collaboration with Impact International, Inside Inclusion, Stonewall UK and HTVB, the workshops will feature discussions and presentations from leading LGBTQ+ athletes and advocates, as well as interactive sessions aimed at promoting inclusive leadership. Common Goal plans to work across every host city and key soccer market by the FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup to create safe and inclusive stadiums that are not only accepting of LGBTQ+ individuals, but are also welcoming.

The initiative is known for its comprehensive approach and provides expert training in order to spread the power of sports as a means to bring about cultural and societal change. Participating organizations and teams have proudly expressed their support of the initiative’s vision to achieve equality and inclusion. “We are honored and excited to host one of this year’s Play Proud workshops,” said Sounders FC Chief Operating Officer Maya Mendoza-Exstrom. “As a club, Sounders FC remains steadfast in its support for the LGBTQ+ community in meaningful ways.”

The Play Proud program is part of Common Goal's wider efforts to use soccer as a tool for social change. It wants to empower all soccer stakeholders to create action-based solutions to the social and environmental causes that they and their communities feel most passionate about.

Lilli Barrett-O’Keefe, Executive Director of Common Goal USA and Founder of Play Proud, stated: "All too often initiatives and solution-based approaches are disconnected and fragmented from the needs of the community. Historically we see that professional clubs, fans, brands and youth-centered programming work in isolation. We want to disrupt that pattern. All the key stakeholders across the soccer ecosystem must work together in order for authentic change to happen."

The 2023 club coalition builds off last year's work which included Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union from MLS, Oakland Roots and San Diego Loyal from the USL Championship, Club Tigres from Liga MX, Pacific FC from the CPL, and San Diego Wave and Angel City FC from the NWSL.

Sources: Common Goal, Toronto FC