# Omaha nonprofit's young soccer players walk World Cup pitch  
**Published:** 2026-06-25T10:00:00.000Z  
**Source:** [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://lincolne.news/article/omaha-nonprofit-s-young-soccer-players-walk-world-cup-pitch

Five Omaha grade schoolers traveled to Kansas City on a Saturday morning in June, armed with geography trivia and dreams bigger than the opening of a minivan trunk. Within hours, they would stand on the field at Arrowhead Stadium, hand in hand with professional soccer players, as [nearly 22,000 fans roared around them](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/).

Football for the World, an [Omaha-based nonprofit dedicated to making soccer accessible to all children](https://www.footballfortheworld.org/), was selected to fill 22 spots in [FIFA's official player escort program for World Cup matches in Kansas City](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/kansas-city-host-six-matches-stadium). The organization is the farthest from any American host city selected for the program among more than 200 organizations nationwide.

[Kansas City is hosting six FIFA World Cup 2026 matches](https://www.kc2026.com/), including [a quarter-final scheduled for July 11](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/kansas-city-host-six-matches-stadium). [The award went to passionate kids who participate in Football for the World's free Omaha soccer league](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/), representing a rare opportunity for many experiencing their first professional soccer match.

Founded in 2015 by University of Nebraska at Omaha alumna Monica Bosiljevac, [Football for the World provides equipment, safe spaces and quality coaching regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, race, ability or geographic location](https://www.footballfortheworld.org/). The nonprofit now serves more than 700 children annually in Omaha and has shipped equipment to over 30 countries worldwide.

[Bosiljevac was inspired by a study abroad trip to Botswana, where she observed children playing soccer without cleats or standard equipment](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/). She discovered similar barriers existed closer to home in eastern Omaha, where many families live more than 20 minutes from the nearest soccer club and annual club fees can exceed $3,500.

The organization's mission extends beyond the field. [Football for the World has built mini-pitches at Girls Inc. and Jackson Elementary](https://www.footballfortheworld.org/), giving hundreds of youth weekly access to play in their neighborhoods. [For families like Mychelle Orduna's, the program has been transformative—providing her sons free equipment each year and eliminating transportation barriers by operating on the same campus as NorthStar Foundation](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/).

[Orduna's 11-year-old son Jace was selected as an escort and hopes to see soccer superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the July 11 quarter-final](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/). [The opportunity is part of a broader Quaker-sponsored initiative partnering with Common Goal to select over 1,400 youth from underserved communities across 11 U.S. World Cup host cities](https://27.4.4).

[Executive Director Joe Marinkovich called the player escort honor "the highest level" of the organization's mission to show children they belong in soccer regardless of background](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/). For Omaha's young players, walking onto a World Cup pitch represents far more than a single moment—it symbolizes a community commitment to ensuring every child has the chance to play the beautiful game.

## Sources

- [Flatwater Free Press](https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/)
- [Football for the World official website](https://www.footballfortheworld.org/)
- [FIFA - Kansas City to host six matches](https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/kansas-city-host-six-matches-stadium)
- [KC2026 - Kansas City World Cup host city information](https://www.kc2026.com/)
- [Quaker Player Escort Program press release](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/quaker-named-official-breakfast-of-fifa-world-cup-26-and-official-sponsor-of-the-player-escort-program-302768799.html)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Flatwater Free Press, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://flatwaterfreepress.org/a-goal-to-spread-soccer-lands-omaha-kids-on-the-world-cup-field/.