PATHWAYS STRATEGY
The United States is entering a generational moment for our sport. With major global tournaments coming to our country – including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the LA 2028 Olympics, and the 2031 Women’s FIFA World Cup – we have an unprecedented opportunity to shape the future of the game. Momentum is on our side, and now is the time to build a system that truly supports every player, parent, coach, referee, and volunteer.
Across the country, millions of people pour their hearts into this sport every day. Soccer is growing faster than ever but the experience can still feel confusing, too expensive, and hard to navigate. Families often ask: Where do we start? What comes next? And how do we help our kids reach their potential?
The Pathways Strategy is U.S. Soccer’s commitment to making the game easier to navigate, more accessible, and more supportive - for everyone.
To everyone who loves this game – players, parents, coaches, administrators, referees, volunteers, and fans – we want to share how excited we are about the Pathways Strategy and what it means for the future of soccer in the United States. We believe this work will be truly transformational for the sport by providing organizations, players, families, referees, and coaches with a clearer and more understandable path to success.
We hear from families all the time that the game can feel confusing, expensive, or hard to navigate. The Pathways Strategy is our commitment to making soccer easier to navigate, more accessible, and more enjoyable for everyone – while helping every participant reach their full potential and strengthening our success at home and on the world stage. It’s focused on three simple things: reducing costs, opening doors for more people to play, and improving the experiences of everyone involved in soccer.
This isn’t about one organization or one operating model. It’s about bringing the entire soccer community together to build something better – a child kicking a ball for the first time, a volunteer coach leading their local team on the weekend, or a parent trying to understand the options and avenues available to them.
We’re incredibly grateful to the leaders and organizations across the country who have helped shape this work so far. Their passion and dedication to the game is what makes this effort possible, and they’ll continue to be essential partners as we move forward.
We’ll keep you updated on our progress, the milestones we hit, and the ways you can stay involved. We truly believe this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to build a stronger, more connected soccer experience – and we’re thrilled to be building it with all of you.
With appreciation,
Cindy Parlow Cone
President, U.S. Soccer
JT Batson
CEO, U.S. Soccer
Your insights will help us build a better soccer experience for everyone.
Updates will be shared with all Members on a monthly basis. We will also post major milestones, summaries, and resources here on the website so you can stay informed throughout the project.
For years, organizations across the country have been working hard to build opportunities for both young people and adults to play. Now, with the world’s attention turning to the U.S., we have a chance to bring that work together in a way that truly serves the people who matter most – the participants.
The Pathways Strategy focuses on three simple goals:
This is about making soccer easier to join, easier to understand, and easier to love at every stage. Importantly, this will help us win more World Cups across every national team.
Each step will be tied to specific output and a decision to move forward to the next phase
Whether your child is playing for the first time, dreaming of being on the national team, or simply looking for a fun, safe place to learn, we want every family to have a clear sense of what comes next. We are working to define each stage of the soccer journey – recreational, competitive, pre-professional, and beyond – so you can make informed choices and feel confident that your player is in the right environment.
For coaches and referees, this work will help us create better education pathways, clearer expectations, and more consistent support across the country.
For every participant, it means a stronger, more connected, and more welcoming soccer community.
For every fan, it means developing the talent and systems to win more World Cups and feel an even deeper sense of pride in our national teams.
This effort isn’t being built by U.S. Soccer alone. It is shaped by our member organizations and key soccer leaders who live and breathe soccer every day. Their experiences and perspectives are essential – and they will continue to play a central role as the work evolves.
The Pathways Strategy is also grounded in U.S. Soccer’s recent large-scale ecosystem review, which included more than 300 unique discussions with leaders, coaches, families, administrators, and organizations across every part of the game. Their insights helped us identify the biggest opportunities to strengthen the participant experience and reduce the cost to run the game. This work is fully aligned with the U.S. Way – our shared commitment to creating environments that are player-centered, development-focused, safe, fun, and accessible for all.
We’re committed to sharing updates, resources, and opportunities to get involved as this work progresses. You can follow along through:
A Stronger Future for the Sport We Love
The Pathways Strategy is about building a future where every player has a place to grow, every coach feels supported, every referee feels respected, and every family feels welcomed into this game.
This is a defining moment for soccer in America – and we are excited to build it with you.