With FIFA World Cup 26 right around the corner, the U.S. Soccer Federation searched the country for stories of communities using the game to create lasting change. They found one right here in Oklahoma City — where teamwork and purpose are changing the game for good.
U.S. Soccer recently published our case study, submitted in partnership with OKC for Soccer (formerly OKC Energy FC). Fields & Futures: A Story of Restoration and Hope highlights how growing the game and expanding access to youth sports through quality school athletic facilities, perpetual field maintenance, and sustainable programming is a team effort.
From OKC to the National Stage
Now, that story is being shared by U.S. Soccer through its Soccer Forward Foundation initiative — a nationwide effort to unify, mobilize, and equip communities and grassroots organizations with toolkits and insights to grow the game in their own backyards.
Written through the lens of how it all came together, the case study breaks down the teamwork, partnerships, and processes that helped bring soccer to life across OKC’s urban core. From community partnerships to long-term maintenance strategies to sport-specific programming, it serves as a blueprint for other cities looking to do the same.
More Than a Pitch
Through partnerships with Oklahoma City Public Schools, OKC for Soccer, YMCA, Oklahoma City Police Athletic League, Cleats for Kids, and so many others, the work has built more than facilities. It’s built hope, belonging, and opportunity.
For Oklahoma City, the Fields & Futures story is more than a soccer story. It’s proof of what can happen when a community rallies around the shared belief that every child deserves a safe place to play, a team to belong to, and a coach who cares.
And now, thanks to U.S. Soccer and the Soccer Forward Foundation, that story has a national platform.
Explore the full case study on Soccer Forward’s resource hub: Fields & Futures: A Story of Restoration and Hope.