CHICAGO (July 7, 2023) – As part of its “One Nation” social responsibility platform to promote diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB), U.S. Soccer, with support from Volkswagen, will partner with the You Can Play Project for the fifth consecutive year to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community. The You Can Play Project is an organization dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, coaches and fans no matter their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.
U.S. Soccer will partner with You Can Play to auction off special edition Women’s and Men’s National Team jerseys with Pride themed numbers with all proceeds going to You Can Play to help promote a safe and inclusive environment for the LGBTQ+ community.
Fans can bid now at ussoccer.com/youcanplay and the auction will run from July 7 through August 4, highlighting and contributing to the LGBTQ+ community beyond Pride month celebrations in June. Last year, the campaign raised a record-breaking amount, raising over $92,000 to contribute to making sport safe and inclusive for LGBTQ+ athletes, coaches, referees and fans and beating the previous record set in 2021 of $85,000.
Volkswagen will also provide four official apparel items for auction featuring the VW Pride logo which will be signed by USWNT players Ashley Hatch, Andi Sullivan and Alyssa Thompson as well as USMNT legend Landon Donovan.
In addition, a portion of proceeds from Pride items sold on the U.S. Soccer Store, presented by Visa, will benefit the You Can Play Project.
As a long-time supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, U.S. Soccer initially promoted the hashtag #OneNation in 2016 in support for the victims of the Pulse Night Club shooting. Four days after the tragedy when the USMNT faced against Ecuador in the Copa America quarterfinals, then USMNT captain Michael Bradley wore a special rainbow armband with the One Nation inscription and auctioned off the armband and his jersey while also making a matching donation.