June 1, 2026
Child Evangelism Fellowship® launches Kickoff! Soccer Party Club amid growing World Cup fever
Fred Pry, CEF® Vice President of Administration: ‘Soccer is opening doors for CEF to connect with children and families in communities across North and South America’
ST. LOUIS — Soccer’s popularity in the United States continues to surge, particularly among children and teens. Once viewed as an emerging sport in America, youth soccer registrations surpassed 3 million in 2024, making it the most popular youth sport in the country. The following year, 26% of children played soccer, placing it neck-and-neck with tackle football and just behind basketball in popularity.
That growing enthusiasm is reflected in this year’s FIFA World Cup, which marks the United States’ largest presence in the games since 1994. As part of the first World Cup hosted across three countries — Canada, Mexico and the United States — matches will take place in 11 U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Philadelphia and Los Angeles.
Child Evangelism Fellowship® (CEF®) is seizing this moment for the Kingdom by equipping churches and volunteers to host soccer-themed evangelistic party clubs and distribute Gospel literature. Through its Kickoff! Soccer Party Clubs, CEF is focused on impacting 1 million young people through outreach that builds on the popularity of the sport, its global attention, and excitement surrounding the games.
According to Fred Pry, CEF Vice President of Administration, “Through Kickoff! Soccer Party Clubs, CEF is using the excitement surrounding soccer and the World Cup to share the Gospel with children in communities world-wide.”
CEF chapters nationwide will host Kickoff! Soccer Party Clubs throughout the summer, including CEF of Pennsylvania, which anticipates reaching more than 10,000 children through the program. This outreach pairs soccer-themed activities with Bible teaching focused on the message of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ.
The club materials — available in both English and Spanish — include the Kickoff! Soccer Party lesson text and visuals, memory verse, music, reproducibles, and more. There is also a Game Changer tract, a soccer-themed evangelism resource that uses the colors of the “Wordless Book” to clearly present the Gospel.
The party features “Xavier’s New Team,” a story created specifically for the club. Through the familiar highs and lows of sports, children are invited to consider how competition can highlight what is happening in the heart, including joy, humility, anger, anxiety and pride. As Xavier’s attitude toward his teammates reveals his need for forgiveness, children will be encouraged to reflect on their own need to be forgiven through Jesus. The lesson also encourages children to become part of God’s team, live for His glory and share His love with others.
The CEF World Cup Project taking place in Mexico has already trained 6,000 volunteers toward their goal of 10,000. Workers and volunteers from across the region have already committed to join this effort for children of Mexico.
CEF is organizing this same project in Brazil, in Portuguese, with literature already being distributed. Digital resources are also available.
Pry summarized, “Soccer is opening doors for CEF to connect with children and families in communities across North and South America. Our prayer is that these events will reach 1 million boys and girls with the message of hope and forgiveness found in Jesus Christ.”
Visit cefonline.com to learn how churches and communities can join CEF outreach efforts this summer.
Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF), founded in 1937, has been establishing the Good News Club® in countries around the world for decades.
In 2025, more than 34 million children worldwide were impacted by the Good News through CEF ministries.
For more CEF news, see the ministry’s latest edition of the online magazine Impact.
CEF is an international, nonprofit, Christian ministry that has been dedicated to seeing every child reached with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, discipled and established in a local church since 1937. CEF is located in all 50 American states and in most countries around the world, with over 3,800 paid staff and tens of thousands of volunteers around the world.
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To interview a representative from Child Evangelism Fellowship, contact Hamilton Strategies, Media@HamiltonStrategies.com, Beth Bogucki, 610.584.1096, ext. 105, or Daniel Moyer, ext. 104.
