U.S. Soccer Foundation renews partnership with Telemundo

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is extending its partnership with NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises as the official Spanish-language media partner for the second year. The announcement will be shared today at the “Unstoppable Women in Sports: Changing the Game Together” event at Telemundo Center as part of the network’s ongoing celebrations of Women’s History Month under this year’s campaign: “Change the Game” (Cambia el Juego). The renewed partnership spotlights the organizations’ long-standing commitment to encourage Latino girls and boys to live healthy and happy lives through soccer, especially in under-resourced communities.

Research shows that girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem. Yet, according to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls are less likely to participate in sports compared to boys (38% vs 25%) and, by age 14, drop out from sports at two times the rate of boys. Telemundo’s joint effort with the U.S. Soccer Foundation aims to combat these realities by promoting the United for Girls Playbook, which helps organizations develop strategies to ensure the next generations of girls and women succeed on and off the field.

“We are thrilled to partner with the U.S. Soccer Foundation because we strongly believe in supporting initiatives that create more opportunities for unstoppable Latino girls and women,” said Christina Kolbjornsen, SVP, Corporate & External Affairs, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “This renewed partnership aims to combat the inequities in access to facilities and representation that exist among communities of color across the U.S. We’re looking forward to continue helping the Foundation expand their reach across the Latino community.”

The extended partnership is part of the network’s award-winning initiative, Mujeres Imparables (Unstoppable Women), focused on celebrating and inspiring women’s progress and achievements across all sectors of society. Mujeres Imparables is an overarching campaign under El Poder en Ti, Telemundo’s community outreach initiative, aiming to elevate U.S. Latinos.

“We are delighted to continue our partnership with Telemundo as our official Spanish-language media partner and work together to ensure that girls and boys have opportunities to play and benefit from our game,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation. “Together with Telemundo’s support, we can continue to use our game to improve children’s lives and strengthen communities.”

The importance of sports for women and girls will be further highlighted by panelists at today’s Unstoppable Women in Sports event at Telemundo Center, including Cindy Parlow Cone, President of the U.S. Soccer Federation; Marissa Solis, SVP, Global Brand and Consumer Marketing, NFL; Eglantina Zingg, Founder and President, Goleadoras; and moderated by Telemundo’s Ana Jurka, Sports and Entertainment Anchor. The U.S. Soccer Federation recently entered into a multimedia rights agreement to make Telemundo the new exclusive Spanish-language home of the Women’s and Men’s National Teams across all platforms, including Peacock, in the United States.

As part of the 2023 U.S. Soccer Foundation partnership, Telemundo will translate the United for Girls Playbook to Spanish. In addition, Telemundo will continue supporting the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Soccer for Success after-school program, which is led by trained coach-mentors who help students establish life-long healthy habits and improve their physical, social, and emotional well-being. An evaluation of the 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 participating in the program.

Telemundo is also proud to be a Gold Level Sponsor of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Congressional Soccer Match, presented by U.S. Soccer, which will be held in June in Washington D.C. As part of the sponsorship, Telemundo will lead an activation to celebrate soccer while building awareness of the power of sports and the need for equitable access to the game. All the proceeds from this charity match will directly support the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s youth programs.

For the first time, a Playmakers’ Summit will also take place on the day of the Congressional Soccer Match. The summit will include sessions from soccer luminaries on the power of soccer as a vehicle for social change, equity, and unity —incorporating changemakers, community leaders, and speakers from across the nation dedicated to improving the field of sports-based youth development.

Telemundo will also participate in the Just Ball League Unity Cups in May in New York City and June in Los Angeles. The U.S. Soccer Foundation’s Just Ball League, created with adidas, uses mini-pitches and other community hubs to create opportunities for league play at the neighborhood level while removing barriers such as transportation and cost—which often prohibit children in underserved communities from being able to play.