FIFA Football for Schools launches in the USA with Atlanta training event

Thursday 05 March 2026, 15:30
FIFA Football for Schools launches in the USA with Atlanta training event

Nearly 80 local educators and coaches participated in Atlanta launch event, which included training to use innovative Football for Schools (F4S) app
With Las Cruces and Orlando already in action, Los Angeles is expected to be the next one to join the F4S initiative 
Launched in 2019, F4S has now been implemented in more than 150 FIFA Member Associations (MAs)

FIFA’s pioneering Football for Schools (F4S) initiative has arrived in the United States just a few months before the transformative FIFA World Cup 2026™ kicks off in North America.
Activities commenced on 25 February in Atlanta, Georgia, the home of both the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the spectacular Atlanta Stadium, which will host eight World Cup matches in June and July (including the second semi-final). 
Nearly 80 Atlanta Public Schools physical education teachers, coaches and community leaders gathered at the stadium and Soccer in the Streets’ nearby West End Station Soccer facility to receive hands-on instruction from FIFA experts. Personnel from the USSF, which is partnering with FIFA on the initiative, also attended.
FIFA Football for Schools launches in the USA with Atlanta training event
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A group of children enjoy the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop
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FIFA’s pioneering Football for Schools (F4S) initiative has arrived in the United States
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FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop and Launch Event USA - Atlanta
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A child receives a participation t-shirt at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop 
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Certificates for coaches at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop and Launch Event USA - Atlanta
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A child takes a shot at goal at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop and Launch Event USA - Atlanta
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An action shot of a child enjoying a practical session at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop 
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Children listen attentively at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop 
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Nearly 80 local educators and coaches participated in the launch event
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A child and coach enjoy a break at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop 
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A coach at the FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop 
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FIFA Football for Schools Capacity Building Workshop and Launch Event USA - Atlanta
The Atlanta trainees were taught how to utilise the innovative F4S digital platform, which includes hundreds of age-specific education sessions, games and exercises that use football to promote physical activity, life skills development, teamwork and inclusive participation. Soccer in the Streets, an Atlanta organisation that introduces football to underserved area youth by transforming unused spaces into neighbourhood pitches, will introduce the Football for Schools curriculum into its spring programme.
“The launch of FIFA Football for Schools in the United States, on the eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, marks a significant milestone in our commitment to expanding access to the game worldwide,” said Jair Bertoni, FIFA Regional Director Americas. “By equipping educators with high-quality digital tools and structured training, we are creating sustainable pathways for young people to engage with soccer in meaningful and inclusive ways. Schools are at the heart of this effort, and this initiative ensures that more children - regardless of background or location - have the opportunity to experience the many benefits of the game.”
Launched in 2019 in conjunction with UNESCO, Football for Schools is a component of FIFA’s mission to give every talent a chance while using football to promote physical and mental health, life skills, unity, and hope among the world’s youth. Since the programme’s inception, 153 FIFA MAs have implemented F4S, nearly 5,000 teachers and coaches have been directly trained by FIFA to use the platform, and more than 3 million balls have been distributed.
The USA represents F4S’s next frontier, and Atlanta is just the beginning. The programme is already underway in Orlando, Florida and Las Cruces, New Mexico and soon will expand to Los Angeles, California. Educator training will occur in each market. Additionally, the F4S app will be made available to educators across the country via the USSF’s Soccer at Schools digital platform. Soccer at Schools is administered by the Soccer Forward Foundation, which is the USSF’s legacy and social impact division.
“FIFA Football for Schools represents a powerful step forward in Soccer Forward’s mission to make soccer accessible to every child in every community,” Soccer Forward Executive Director Lex Chalat said.
“It contributes to U.S. Soccer’s belief that soccer is a force for good. By bringing the game into schools and equipping educators with the tools to deliver it every day, we are expanding access and ensuring the lasting impact of soccer reaches the next generation – all as part of Soccer Forward and U.S. Soccer’s legacy from the FIFA World Cup 2026.”