From pitch to payment
Visa plans to be a strong presence on the ground in those host cities once cardholders arrive. In June in San Francisco—near Visa’s headquarters and about 45 miles from the World Cup host site at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.—Visa teamed with Bank of America and Street Soccer USA to open the first of six soccer parks throughout the United States. Each park will feature two professional-grade fields, lighting, digital scoreboards, learning centers, and spectator seating areas—with new facilities heading to Denver in August, Kansas City in September, New York in October, Nashville in November, and Atlanta sometime in winter.
Under Street Soccer USA’s guidance, each park will host youth and adult leagues, as well as programs including after-school academic support and job training.
“It’s a way to bring all of these different communities together and help provide some very basic services and needs in a fun, interactive, and engaging way that brings some positivity to both youth and adults,” Lawrence said.
Visa has also begun building a team to help it create a presence on the ground, signing Spain and FC Barcelona striker Lamine Yamal as a global ambassador while also serving as an official partner of the U.S. men’s soccer team. While the company hasn’t disclosed just how it would use players and teams during watch parties, appearances, and activations, Visa’s full slate of partnerships, including a Formula 1 race team, the NFL’s 2026 Super Bowl in Visa’s Bay Area backyard, and the upcoming 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, provide ample opportunity to promote Visa’s role in the North American soccer tournament.
