The World Cup fever is over, but not in Soledad.
In fact, the City of Soledad is scheduled to distribute more than 200 soccer balls during an event on Saturday, Sept. 5, as it kicks off the Fall Youth Soccer Season. The balls were granted through FIFA’s World Cup 2026 community initiative, according to City officials.
Mayor Anna Velazquez took the lead in applying for the City of Soledad to take part in FIFA’s program, which provided soccer balls to 500 U.S. cities represented through the United States Conference of Mayors.
City officials say that the FIFA soccer balls will be given to local youth as Soledad kicks off its fall season in partnership with the Salinas Regional Soccer Complex and Monterey Bay Football Club. Saturday’s event will showcase player-led drills, providing young athletes a chance to learn from professional players and celebrate the sport.
“The World Cup may be over, but the excitement and inspiration it created don’t have to end,” Velazquez said. “I wanted to make sure Soledad was part of FIFA’s initiative and that our young people could experience that excitement right here in our community. This is about keeping the love of soccer going and inspiring the next generation. We have an abundance of local talent and Soledad is committed to investing and supporting our future soccer legends.”
The event will be held starting at 10am at Vosti Park, located at the intersection of Park and Monterey streets.
The event will include special guest speakers, with Soledad Mayor Pro Tem Fernando Ansaldo-Sánchez distributing more than 200 soccer balls provided through FIFA’s World Cup 2026 community initiative.
In addition, the event will include a video message from Vanessa Aguilar, Soledad resident and soccer player. She was called to play in the U-17 division of the Mexican National Soccer Team.