Mayor Reeves secured a donation of 200 soccer balls from FIFA that were used in the World Cup and presented them to local Pensacola children through the Pensacola Youth Soccer program.Did you drive by Hiztman-Optimist Park today?
If so, there was a pretty good chance you saw a soccer ball flying through the air.
And not just any soccer ball, two hundred of them.
Thanks to a connection made at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Mayor D.C. Reeves was able to bring 200 soccer balls from FIFA to Pensacola.
And today he partnered with Pensacola Youth Soccer League to give them away to local kids for free.
Pensacola Youth Soccer Inc. is a nonprofit organization that manages recreational youth soccer for ages 4-15 in conjunction with the City of Pensacola. And also through the generosity of our parents, coaches, and sponsors that dedicate time and resources.
The balls are part of FIFA’s nationwide effort leading up to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
FIFA committed to distributing 100,000 soccer balls to communities across the United States through the nation’s Mayors. They want to give young players a chance to connect with the world’s biggest soccer tournament right in their own neighborhoods.
And Pensacola got in on the action because Reeves knew exactly who to raise his hand for.
Two hundred soccer balls from the World Cup were donated by FIFA to Pensacola children.“When I was at the U.S. Conference of Mayors, FIFA was there and asked us if any of us had an active league in their city,” Reeves told the crowd.
Then came the question: Did anyone have a league deserving of donated soccer balls? “I quickly raised my hand,” he said.
Apparently, getting the balls to Pensacola took a little longer than expected. Reeves joked that they may have gotten “stuck in the Strait of Hormuz during the summer.”
But they made it. And today, they were finally in the hands (and feet) of Pensacola’s young soccer players.
For Reeves, the giveaway wasn’t really about soccer balls. It was about what happens when kids have the opportunity to play.
The mayor shared that he grew up playing sports and knows firsthand how meaningful those experiences can be: the teammates, the competition, the lessons and, most importantly, the memories that stick with you long after the game is over.
“I know firsthand how important these experiences are,” he told the crowd.
That is part of what makes a giveaway like this worth celebrating. A soccer ball can mean a kid gets to practice in the backyard. It can mean a parent doesn’t have to worry about buying another piece of equipment. It can mean one more reason for a child to get outside, make friends and fall in love with a sport.
And sometimes, you never know where that first kick might lead.”
The timing couldn’t be better.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is coming to the United States, Canada and Mexico, bringing the world’s attention to soccer and creating opportunities for communities across the country to celebrate the sport.
Pensacola may not be hosting a World Cup match, but today at Hitzman-Optimist Park, local kids got a direct connection to the excitement.
A Pensacola Youth Soccer player picks up a new soccer ball for future play from FIFA and the City of Pensacola.Reeves closed by thanking the parents and the Pensacola Youth Soccer League board for helping create experiences that make sports special for local children.
“Thank you all to the parents, to Josh Hadden, President of the Pensacola Youth Soccer board, and the board members, for making days like this special and leagues like this available for children in Pensacola,” he said.
Today, 200 soccer balls found new homes, but more importantly, 200 kids got another reason to play.
And that’s really the best part of the story.
