Oklahoma City joins Oakland and the South Bronx as the nation’s first three Soccer Forward Communities, and the only one outside a 2026 FIFA World Cup host metro area.
OKLAHOMA CITY (June 8, 2026) — The U.S. Soccer Federation, through its Soccer Forward Foundation, has designated Oklahoma City a Soccer Forward Community, recognizing the collective impact of local partners, public institutions, and key soccer stakeholders in expanding access to soccer across the city. The announcement was made in conjunction with Echo Investment Capital, the Oklahoma City-based investment firm leading the city’s new professional soccer club.
Oklahoma City joins Oakland, California, and the South Bronx in New York as the first three Soccer Forward Communities in the country. It is the only metro area in the initial group that is not hosting matches at this summer’s FIFA Men’s World Cup, a distinction that reflects what local leaders describe as a uniquely Oklahoma City approach: aligned investment from the public, private and nonprofit sectors building toward a shared goal.
“This designation makes a lot of sense, because there’s not another city in America currently investing in soccer with as much commitment and in as many ways as Oklahoma City,” said Mayor David Holt. “Right now, we have a new soccer stadium under construction, we have tens of millions of dollars going into first class youth soccer facilities, and our philanthropic community is working closely with our school districts to ensure that our public school fields across the city are top notch. Further, when our stadium opens, thanks to our business leadership, led by Christian Kanady and Echo, we’ll welcome professional soccer back to OKC. OKC is a world class city, and that means we have to be a part of the global sport of soccer. That is an intentional strategy, and we appreciate the validation provided by this designation.”
The Soccer Forward Communities initiative, launched as part of the lasting legacy of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is built around a collective impact model. The Foundation works alongside local U.S. Soccer members, schools, community organizations and municipalities to create more places to play, expand soccer in after school settings, and equip more coaches and educators to use the game as a force for good. That collective alignment is on clear display in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma City Public Schools and the nonprofit Fields & Futures have partnered since 2012 to build and maintain 32 soccer and futsal play spaces across the urban core. In 2019, Oklahoma City voters approved the MAPS 4 quality of life initiative, which included public funding for a new downtown multipurpose stadium and major upgrades at C.B. Cameron Park and South Lakes Park, two of the city’s busiest youth soccer hubs.
Echo, led by founder and CEO Christian Kanady, will field Oklahoma City’s professional club in the USL Championship beginning in 2028. The community-facing movement behind the club, known as OKC for Soccer, has rallied fans, founding members and civic partners around that debut.
“Soccer in Oklahoma City has been built the right way, by a lot of people, over a long period of time,” said Kanady. “Voters, the City, OKCPS, Fields & Futures, local coaches and families have created something that did not exist here a generation ago. Echo’s role is to keep building on that foundation, create an environment where the field is a classroom and ensure that the next generation of OKC kids has every opportunity to play the game they love. This designation from U.S. Soccer is a recognition of what Oklahoma City has done together, and it is a strong signal about where we are going.”
The Soccer Forward Foundation will partner with OKC’s professional soccer club and local community partners to strengthen access and build sustainable pathways for youth participation.
“As part of the lasting legacy of this summer’s FIFA World Cup, we want to make soccer more accessible to every community across the country,” said Lex Chalat, Executive Director of the Soccer Forward Foundation. “Soccer Forward Communities is about investing in and strengthening the local organizations already creating impact through the game. We are thrilled to welcome Oklahoma City as one of our first Soccer Forward Communities and to partner with organizations like Fields & Futures and OKC for Soccer that are already building a strong culture of collaboration and access around soccer. Together, we have an opportunity to create lasting impact and help grow the game in meaningful, sustainable ways.”
Echo’s investment team behind OKC’s professional club includes former U.S. Men’s National Team forward Jozy Altidore, who is an ambassador for the Soccer Forward program. Altidore has been part of the global game at every level and sees Oklahoma City’s approach as a model for what comes next in American soccer.
“What is happening in Oklahoma City is the future of soccer in this country,” said Jozy Altidore, a member of the ownership group of Oklahoma City’s professional soccer club. “It is not just about a stadium or a team. It is a city that has invested in the game from the playground up, with the schools, nonprofits, business leaders and city government all rowing in the same direction. That kind of alignment is rare, and it is why I wanted to be part of this.”
The Soccer Forward designation underscores the connection between the global game and broader outcomes for Oklahoma City kids.
“Historical data consistently shows that when a young student finds a team, they find the classroom, and ultimately the graduation stage,” said Fields & Futures co-founder Tim McLaughlin. “Soccer is more than a game. It is a pathway. The partnership we have built with Oklahoma City Public Schools and so many community partners is why this designation is possible, and we are so excited about what comes next.”
Additional programming and community initiatives tied to Oklahoma City’s Soccer Forward Community designation will be announced in the months ahead. Fans can learn more at www.okcforsoccer.com.
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ABOUT SOCCER FORWARD
The Soccer Forward Foundation is a key driver in U.S. Soccer’s overall vision that soccer is a force for good. Operating with the belief that soccer contributes to healthier and more connected, equitable communities, Soccer Forward supports U.S. Soccer’s efforts to expand access to the sport, helping the game reach more people and create lasting change. Soccer Forward focuses on enabling and equipping people, places and programs to grow the game in communities across America and on delivering cutting-edge research, training, and guidelines to prove soccer’s contribution to health outcomes in communities. In addition, it will develop standards and provide business and technical support to build the ecosystem for the women’s game across the U.S. and globally. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/soccer-forward.
ABOUT U.S. SOCCER
Founded in 1913, U.S. Soccer, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, is the official governing body of the sport in the United States. Our vision is clear; we exist in service to soccer. Our ambition is to ignite a national passion for the game and elevate its power to unite, inspire, and uplift. We believe soccer is more than a sport; it is a force for good. We are focused on three areas: U.S. Soccer Everywhere, making soccer the #1 played sport in every community in America; U.S. Soccer is Yours, ensuring everyone feels ownership of soccer’s future in the U.S., and U.S. Soccer Success, winning major tournaments, including World Cups. Together, the future of the game is ours to build. For more information, visit ussoccer.com/ourvision.
ABOUT ECHO INVESTMENT CAPITAL
Founded by Christian Kanady in 2010 and headquartered in the iconic Ziggurat building in downtown Oklahoma City, Echo is a multi-strategy investment firm committed to revitalizing American industries. Echo blends investments across energy, life sciences, national security, and media & entertainment, with notable investments in enterprises such as Wheeler Bio and Prairie Surf. The firm’s holdings include landmark commercial properties, a substantial oil and gas royalty portfolio, and majority ownership in Oklahoma City’s professional soccer club.