Supported by Lenovo Foundation, the multi-year partnership launches with a virtual field trip for grades 6–8 that builds STEM skills and connects classroom learning to real-world careers as soccer’s biggest moment comes to North America
WASHINGTON, D.C. and CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 7, 2026 – The U.S. Soccer Foundation and Discovery Education today announced a new multi-year strategic partnership, with support from Lenovo Foundation, to bring high-quality, soccer-based learning experiences to students nationwide through Soccer for Success: Goals for Life.
The partnership combines the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s proven youth development and school-based programming with Discovery Education’s expertise in standards-aligned digital instruction, supported by Lenovo Foundation’s role as official technology partner to expand access to the latest technology and innovation.
Discovery Education’s teaching and learning solutions are trusted to support educators and power student progress in more than 45% of U.S. schools. The partnership builds on the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s longstanding work in schools through its Soccer for Success in School program, which provides curriculum, training, and equipment to educators and has reached more than 2.2 million students and 5,700 educators.
Together, the organizations will foster durable skills in youth, deepen student engagement, strengthen STEM learning, and equip teachers with ready‑to‑use resources designed to fit directly into existing middle school instruction.
Partnership Launches with Landmark Virtual Field Trip with Lenovo Foundation
The partnership kicks off with the premiere of “Beyond the Goal: A Virtual Field Trip to Soccer City USA,” available to educators beginning May 12, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. ET. Designed for students in grades 6–8, the 20-minute virtual experience was filmed on location at Providence Park, home of the Portland Timbers (MLS) and Portland Thorns (NWSL), and at Parkrose Middle School in Portland, Oregon.
The Virtual Field Trip takes students behind the scenes of professional soccer and into their own communities, exploring themes of communication, leadership, resilience, decision-making, and engineering in action. Students will hear directly from U.S. Soccer Foundation and Portland Timbers staff, players, and experts in nutrition, sports analytics, and coaching, connecting real-world sports environments to academic concepts, future careers, and personal development.
The Virtual Field Trip will be made available through the Discovery Education Experience solution and a free microsite, ensuring every teacher can access and engage with this standards-aligned content. Educators can sign up now to access the Virtual Field Trip and accompanying classroom resources, including an Educator Guide and ready-to-use materials to support middle school instruction of Health, 3D Science, and ELA standards.
A Timely Collaboration for a Historic Moment in Soccer
The partnership launches at a pivotal cultural moment, as excitement builds with the largest global soccer tournament coming to North America this summer. Soccer has grown in popularity as a global unifier, and this partnership ensures that students and educators can tap into this momentum by using the sport to develop foundational life skills in young people, strengthen communities, and expand access to enrichment opportunities during an exciting moment in American sports history.
“At Discovery Education, we help educators bring students’ excitement about the world around them into instruction that matters, and soccer’s biggest moment in North America gives us a powerful opportunity to do exactly that,” said Catherine Dunlop, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships, Discovery Education. “The U.S. Soccer Foundation shares our commitment to powering progress for young people, and together we’re delivering high-quality, no-cost learning experiences that engage students with remarkable access behind the scenes of professional soccer.”
The U.S. Soccer Foundation is leading national efforts to ensure that the 2026 tournament benefits youth and families across the nation for generations to come. Together with its partners, the Foundation has installed more than 850 mini-pitches nationwide, with the goal of 1,000 by the end of 2026. Last year, the U.S. Soccer Foundation engaged 1.2 million youth in its programs proven to improve the health and well-being of participants.
“The U.S. Soccer Foundation has always believed that soccer is more than a game. It is a vehicle for youth development, community building, and expanding opportunity for young people,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO, U.S. Soccer Foundation. “This partnership with Discovery Education gives us a powerful new avenue to deliver on that mission, expand our reach in schools and provide students in classrooms across the country with content that is as inspiring as it is educational. At a time when the world’s eyes are turning toward soccer in North America, we want every young person to have access to the learning and life skills that will help them thrive on and off the field.”
As part of its mission to provide access to technology and STEM education for those who need it most, Lenovo Foundation is proud to support the enablement of sport and STEM education through the mission of the U.S. Soccer Foundation and unique scale and K-12 instructional strategy of Discovery Education. This partnership also builds on Lenovo’s role as the Official FIFA Technology Partner of FIFA World Cup 2026TM and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 TM.
“We view sports as a catalyst for inclusion and education,” shares Calvin J. Crosslin, Lenovo Foundation President and Chief Inclusion Officer of Lenovo. “We are thrilled with the opportunity to support the Virtual Field Trip and its free access to educators on the Discovery Education platform. Sport is a proven global democratizer and will enable greater engagement and skilling for students – in STEM areas and in life.”
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is a global education technology leader whose innovative solutions empower educators and progress student learning. Discovery Education’s solutions have served more than 100 million students globally, supporting effective teaching and learning in 45% of U.S. K–12 schools and in 100+ countries and territories. The company’s portfolio includes award-winning core and supplemental curriculum, high-quality standards-aligned content, and AI-enabled teaching and learning tools. Solutions span math, science, literacy, social studies, and career-connected learning, including instructionally-aligned content developed through one-of-a-kind partnerships with industry leaders to bring real-world relevance into every lesson. Learn more at www.DiscoveryEducation.com.
About the U.S. Soccer Foundation
As the national leader for sports-based youth development in under-resourced areas, the U.S. Soccer Foundation is on a mission to let soccer do what it does: change absolutely everything. Founded as a legacy of the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the Foundation provides underserved communities access to innovative play spaces and evidence-based soccer programs that instill hope, foster well-being, and help youth achieve their fullest potential. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Soccer Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. For more information visit www.ussoccerfoundation.org or follow us on LinkedIn and Instagram.
About Lenovo Foundation
Lenovo Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic arm of Lenovo, a global technology powerhouse serving millions of customers every day in 180 markets. With a mission to provide access to technology and STEM education for those who need it most, Lenovo Foundation shares Lenovo’s strengths of inclusion and innovation with communities around the world through strategic giving, employee engagement and humanitarian response. Learn more at www.LenovoFoundation.com. Media Contacts
For Discovery Education:
Ali Koper
For U.S. Soccer Foundation:
Kelly Clemens
kclemens@ussoccerfoundation.org
For Lenovo Foundation:
Mhauser@lenovo.com
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