The organisation coordinates sports-based youth development programmes in low-income communities across Atlanta, Georgia, and will work with Chelsea to deliver the programmes in the days around Wednesday’s fixture against Club America in the city at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Since its inception in 1989, Soccer in the Streets has worked in over fifty US cities bringing the sport to hundreds of thousands of children. This summer, hundreds of players will experience coaching sessions, drills and more in the Lindbergh and West End neighbourhoods.
We are delighted to bring the delivery of programmes to a close this summer by hosting the Chelsea FC Station Soccer Festival, presented by EA Sports FC.
Taking place on Thursday 1 August under the Soccer on the Street’s StationSoccer umbrella, the city-wide community project StationSoccer was built around a vision to create a network of mini football fields in disused land adjacent to MARTA transit stations thereby relieving the often prohibitive costs of travelling to a venue to play the beautiful game.
Long-standing club partner EA Sports FC are the presenting partner of the festival, and will have their FC Futures initiative weaved throughout.
This will include specific drills incorporated into the community programmes, and full co-branding integration into the big event.
The main event, also supported by GREAT, the UK’s international marketing initiative,will be attended by Chelsea legend Gary Cahill and current first-team players, along with the StationSoccer community and DJs, food trucks and five-a-side matches bringing the celebrations to a fitting close.
Casper Stylsvig, Chief Revenue Officer at Chelsea said of the partnership: ‘We are really privileged to travel to the US for our pre-season tour again, and want to show our appreciation and commitment to the tour by connecting deeply with the communities around us.
‘It’s always been a value of Chelsea thanks to our hyperlocal presence and connection to the area around us in our home city.
‘We’re excited to bring football to so many people in Atlanta in partnership with Soccer in the Streets. We’re also delighted to be working with EA Sport, an existing club partner which is at the intersection of sports, entertainment, and community.’
