Key Takeaways
- Chobani is investing $5 million to support 500 youth soccer clubs nationwide through $10,000 packages including funding and equipment
- Five current U.S. Soccer national team players will serve as campaign ambassadors, including Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie
- A new nutrition curriculum developed with the Soccer Forward Foundation will give coaches practical tools for fueling young athletes
- Limited-edition Chobani packaging and in-store activations will run through the summer tied to the FIFA World Cup 2026
- Sports dietitian Tatiana Vélez-Burgos joins as a Chobani Nutrition Ambassador focused on youth athlete nutrition
A $5 Million Push Into Grassroots Soccer
With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to take place on U.S. soil this summer, Chobani is using its position as the Official Nutrition Partner of U.S. Soccer to channel resources directly into youth programs. The centerpiece of the company’s “Feed the Dream” campaign is a $5 million commitment to sponsor 500 local youth soccer clubs across the country.
Each winning team is eligible for a $10,000 package that includes funding and equipment. Coaches can register their teams at chobani.com/soccer, and parents, supporters, and community members can vote for clubs to receive the package. The registration portal is also accessible through QR codes on new limited-edition Chobani packaging rolling out in stores now.
“The real soul of sport isn’t found under bright stadium lights. It’s in the backyards, the neighborhood fields, the small-town pitches where the seeds are planted for kids to dream bigger,” said Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani. “We’re investing in the local teams, the young dreamers, and the fans who lift them up.”
National Team Talent Driving the Campaign
Chobani is pairing the grassroots investment with national visibility through partnerships with five current U.S. Soccer players. The ambassador roster includes Christian Pulisic (USMNT forward), Weston McKennie (USMNT midfielder), Antonee Robinson (USMNT defender), Lindsey Heaps (USWNT midfielder), and Sophia Wilson (USWNT forward).
All five players will appear on limited-edition packaging, in-store displays, and advertising as part of the Feed the Dream rollout. For youth sports brands and sponsors watching the space, the mix of men’s and women’s national team athletes is notable. It reflects the broad reach of soccer fandom heading into a summer where both programs will command significant attention.
Nutrition Curriculum for Coaches and Families
Beyond funding, Chobani and the Soccer Forward Foundation have developed a nutrition curriculum designed specifically for youth coaches and families. The guide provides practical information on fueling young athletes, with an emphasis on accessible, everyday nutrition habits rather than elite-level sports science.
Lex Chalat, Executive Director of the Soccer Forward Foundation, framed the effort in terms of long-term access. “For that inspiration to translate into impact, it must be supported with real access and support at the community level, long-term,” Chalat said. “We’re helping to facilitate more resources to local soccer clubs and schools that will create access and encourage health and wellbeing to young people across the country.”
Chobani is also bringing on sports dietitian Tatiana Vélez-Burgos as a Nutrition Ambassador. Vélez-Burgos will serve as a resource for media and families on fueling young athletes and navigating nutrition for busy sports households.
Summer Activations and Retail Presence
The campaign extends well beyond digital. Chobani plans sampling activations at U.S. Soccer fan zones and retail pop-ups throughout the summer, tying product sampling directly to match-day experiences and local community events.
La Colombe, the coffee brand Chobani acquired in 2023, is running a parallel campaign called “Must Be the Coffee” that targets soccer fans with nationwide sampling and advertising across television, digital, and out-of-home placements. The dual-brand approach gives Chobani a broader presence across dayparts, reaching families at breakfast through yogurt and fans throughout the day through coffee.
For retailers, the limited-edition packaging and in-store displays create a built-in promotional hook tied to the World Cup. The sweepstakes component, which enters voters into a giveaway for U.S. Soccer merchandise and exclusive prizes, adds another engagement layer designed to drive foot traffic and product trial.
What This Means for the Youth Soccer Ecosystem
Chobani’s $5 million commitment is one of the larger brand-funded grassroots soccer investments tied to the 2026 World Cup cycle. The structure of the program, where individual clubs can win $10,000 packages including funding and equipment, is designed to reach a wide footprint rather than concentrate resources in a handful of markets.
For youth soccer operators, the grant program represents a tangible funding opportunity at a time when participation costs remain a barrier for many families. The nutrition curriculum adds a resource layer that addresses a real gap. Most youth coaches are volunteers without formal training in sports nutrition, and free, credible materials from a national federation partnership carry weight.
The broader signal here is that major consumer brands see the World Cup summer as a moment to invest in youth sports infrastructure, not just advertise around elite competition. Chobani is pairing national team star power with direct community funding, a model that other brands entering the youth sports space will likely study as the summer progresses.
Source: PRNewswire, Chobani LLC, April 2, 2026
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