2026 US Youth Soccer Grassroots Symposium

US Youth Soccer Presents the 2026 Grassroots Symposium & Leadership Weekend

Presented in Collaboration with Common Goal

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Presented in Collaboration with:

2026 Grassroots Symposium & Leadership Weekend

Moving Legacy Forward

August 27–29, 2026 | Dallas, Texas

One month after the FIFA World Cup concludes on home soil, leaders from across American soccer will gather for one important conversation:

What comes next?

The 2026 Grassroots Symposium & Leadership Weekend is where the people shaping the future of soccer come together—not simply to reflect on the biggest tournament in the world, but to determine how its momentum becomes lasting impact in communities across the United States.

Hosted by US Youth Soccer in partnership with Common Goal USA and U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward initiative, the Symposium brings together coaches, club leaders, state associations, community organizations, educators, funders, researchers, policymakers, and Football for Good practitioners for three days of learning, collaboration, and action.

This isn’t a traditional conference.

It’s an immersive experience designed to connect people across sectors, challenge conventional thinking, and build relationships that continue long after the event concludes.

What to Expect

Over three days, participants will move through a shared journey designed around one central theme: Moving Legacy Forward.

Rather than sitting through presentations, attendees will engage in facilitated conversations, community-based learning experiences, interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and practical sessions that encourage collaboration and real-world application.

Every aspect of the Symposium has been intentionally designed to maximize interaction, movement, and connection, creating opportunities to learn not only from speakers, but from one another.

Whether you’re leading a state association, coaching at the grassroots level, building community programs, shaping public policy, or investing in youth development, you’ll leave with new relationships, fresh ideas, and practical strategies you can immediately bring back to your community.

Your Symposium Journey

Wednesday | August 26

Arrive Early & Connect

Participants are encouraged to arrive Wednesday evening to take advantage of optional programming on Thursday morning before the Symposium officially begins.

Opportunities include:

• Common Goal USA Network Gathering
• Extended training and certification opportunities – details to be shared soon!
• Informal networking
• Early check-in
• Meet-ups with colleagues from across the country

Whether you’re reconnecting with familiar faces or meeting new collaborators, Wednesday creates space to begin building relationships before the full event begins.

There is no formal programming on Wednesday evening.

Thursday | August 27

Morning Sessions

There will be a host of opportunities (both invite-only and open to the public) from 9am-12pm on Thursday morning. 

More details will be shared soon!

Official Kick-Off: Lunch and Plenary

The Symposium officially begins with lunch at noon before everyone gathers for the Opening Plenary.

Hosted by event emcee Charlie Davies alongside Kelyn Rowe, the opening conversation explores the legacy of the FIFA World Cup from the perspective of former professional players, community leaders, and advocates for the future of the game.

But unlike most conferences, the plenary is only the beginning.

Immediately afterward, every attendee will participate in a facilitated discussion experience.

You’ll be intentionally seated with people from across the soccer ecosystem, including state associations, clubs, Soccer for Good organizations, educators, coaches, community leaders, and innovators, to explore where the game has been, where it is today, and where we want it to go next.

These conversations establish the relationships and ideas that will shape the remainder of the Symposium.

Learning Beyond the Conference Center

Thursday afternoon, the entire Symposium leaves the hotel.

Participants will travel together to Puede Network, a Dallas-based community organization demonstrating the power of soccer as a catalyst for belonging, opportunity, and community development.

Rather than talking about community impact, attendees will experience it firsthand.

Programming at Puede will feature youth voices, local leaders, interactive experiences, opportunities for play, design thinking activities, and networking—all within a community setting that reflects the values at the heart of the Symposium.

Dinner will be provided by locally-owned businesses that are from the Oak Cliff Community.

Drink tickets will be provided at Puede for the happy hour and networking at the Mexican restaurant after the event.

Transportation is provided.

After-Programming Social

USYS will host a social hour at a local Mexican restaurant, within walking distance from Puede.

Friday | August 28

Friday is dedicated to discovering the ideas shaping the future of youth soccer.

Participants will choose from a wide variety of workshops, conversations, demonstrations, and collaborative learning experiences led by experts from across the country.

Topics span coaching innovation, community impact, leadership, climate resilience, youth wellbeing, technology, organizational development, and the evolving role of soccer within communities.

Movement remains part of the experience throughout the day, reinforcing the connection between physical activity, learning, wellbeing, and human connection.

The day concludes with an evening networking celebration designed to strengthen relationships and spark future partnerships.

Saturday | August 29

The final day is focused on implementation.

Participants will engage in practical workshops, certifications, and applied learning sessions designed to equip them with tools they can immediately take back to their organizations.

The closing Soccer Forward Plenary challenges attendees to think beyond the Symposium and identify their own role in shaping the next chapter of soccer in America.

Participants leave not only inspired—but equipped with new connections, actionable ideas, and a renewed sense of purpose.

Grassroots Symposium programming will conclude by 11:30am. Early afternoon flights (2pm onward) will be your best bet for departing!

Guided by Five Themes

Every session throughout the Symposium connects back to five shared priorities shaping the future of the game.

• Access & Belonging: Creating a soccer ecosystem where every young person has the opportunity to participate, belong, and thrive.
• Wellbeing & Human Development: Supporting young people as athletes, leaders, teammates, and human beings.
• Community & Connection: Strengthening relationships across organizations, sectors, and communities.
• Climate & Sustainability: Preparing soccer for a changing world through resilient facilities, thoughtful planning, and environmental stewardship.
• Leadership & Innovation: Equipping today’s leaders with the ideas, partnerships, and tools needed to shape the next generation of the game.

Built Through Partnership

The Grassroots Symposium is presented through a partnership between US Youth Soccer, Common Goal USA, and U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward initiative.

Together, these organizations are bringing the entire soccer ecosystem into one shared conversation—connecting grassroots leaders with community organizations, coaches with innovators, funders with practitioners, and decision-makers with those creating impact every day.

The result is a Symposium designed not simply to discuss the future of soccer, but to build it together.

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