Soccer in the Streets is once again using national rivalries over futbol to spur local fundraising, bringing back its Nations Cup tournament for the fourth straight year this weekend.
Eight local teams of seven are to rally around the country of their choice (whether they hail from there or not) and compete under that banner in the tournament. Nations competing for the cup this year include the United States, Great Britain, Colombia, The Netherlands, Argentina, Iceland, Belgium and Germany.
The money raised from players and their supporters pledged via an online fundraising platform creates a secondary layer of competition over which team and individual can bring in the most cash.
The money goes toward the nonprofit’s programs that use sport to teach life skills and provide mentorship to Atlanta kids, both in schools and on the pitch. The tournament is right now about $10,000 short of its $50,000 goal. Colombia is in the lead so far with $8,547 raised as of Tuesday.
Soccer in the Streets coming off a winning streak of its own. The group in 2016 won international acclaim for Station Soccer, the first soccer field and league inside a transit station. But that was just the first step in what it hopes will become a “League of Stations” throughout the Atlanta metro area. Already the program has expanded to the West End station in partnership with MARTA and the Atlanta United Foundation.
See the fundraising leaderboard here to donate.
Learn more from this 2017 story: Pitch Patriotism: Nations Cup Soccer Tournament Pits Global Teams for Local Impact
ABOUT THE EVENT
When: Sunday, April 28, 2019
Where: Grady Stadium (Midtown Atlanta)
Time: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Questions? Email Jessica[@]soccerstreets.org
