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The FIFA Men’s World Cup is almost here, and there’s nothing quite like it.
Football fans measure their lives in World Cups. Everyone recollects their first, but each subsequent tournament brings new moments and memories. Mention Zidane’s headbutt in 2006, Germany’s 7-1 demolition of Brazil in 2014 or 2022’s epic Messi v Mbappé final, and people are instantly transported back to where they were, what was happening in their lives and how the world looked around them.
2026 will be no different. People will gather in stadiums, schools and around TV sets to experience history. The World Cup will give us new teams to believe in and new dreams to chase. And for children, that feeling is perhaps stronger than anyone. Playgrounds and parks will become the MetLife Stadium, and kickabouts between friends will turn into international grudge matches. Kids everywhere will want to run, kick, celebrate, belong and imagine what might be possible.
But for millions of children, the chance to join in does not start with a ball. It starts with a pair of shoes.
Through both new and gently used footwear, Soles4Souls creates opportunity by supporting children today and enabling entrepreneurs to build income and communities to thrive. And your brand can get involved with our mission today.
Three ways businesses can create impact this World Cup
At Soles4Souls, we know how footwear changes children’s lives. A good pair of shoes helps a child get to school, enjoy sport and feel confident alongside their peers. Yet in the UK alone, around four million children live in shoe poverty, wearing wrong-size footwear or footwear that’s inadequate for their needs.
The excitement around the World Cup creates a powerful opportunity for companies to act. Whether you’re a footwear brand, retailer or any type of employer, you can turn footwear, employee energy and corporate giving into real impact.
1. Donate surplus stock
For manufacturers and retailers, the World Cup is a timely reminder of just how much footwear, clothing, returns and end-of-season stock passes through the industry every year. Too often, perfectly usable products languish in warehouses, get liquidated via discount retailers or, worst of all, go to waste.
Soles4Souls helps turn that surplus into opportunity.
We equip entrepreneurs in low-income countries with donated shoes and clothing to sell, so they can create sustainable small businesses. We provide new shoes and apparel to people facing hardship after crises such as natural disasters, helping them begin to rebuild their lives. We give new athletic shoes to children in need, removing barriers to school participation, sports and a brighter future.
By redirecting excess inventory, your business can reduce waste, streamline operations, and create measurable social impact. For companies working toward ESG, circularity and waste reduction goals, it’s an especially effective way to act.
2. Start a shoe and clothing drive
Not every company has warehouses of stock to donate, but every company has people. Shoe and clothing drives are one of the simplest ways to bring these employees, customers and communities together. Companies can collect gently-used shoe and clothing donations across offices, shops and elsewhere, before funnelling the products to Soles4Souls, creating opportunity for individuals and families in need.
The World Cup adds energy and momentum. Teams can rally around a shared goal, run internal challenges or tie giving to match-day moments.
A shoe drive is also a reminder that impact does not always require complexity. One person clearing out a pair of trainers they no longer wear can change someone else’s life. Multiply that by a team, a company or a whole network, and the results can be extraordinary.
3. Support 4EveryKid
For children experiencing hardship, a new pair of athletic shoes doesn’t just offer comfort. It enables them to take part in PE, join a game after school, walk into a classroom with confidence or simply feel included. During a World Cup year, the connection is clear: children everywhere will be inspired to play. They want to act like their favourite players, celebrate like their favourite teams and feel part of the global football story unfolding around them.
Recently launched in the UK, 4EveryKid is Soles4Souls’ mission to provide brand-new athletic shoes to every child in underserved communities. Partners can get involved in several ways, including:
- Donating new footwear to us directly
- Contributing funding to help us secure the required inventory
- Hosting an in-store shopping experience where children can choose new shoes
- Engaging employees through volunteering initiatives
- Referring us to the schools, charities and children most in need
- And more
Partner with Soles4Souls this summer and beyond
Football has always been about more than what happens on the pitch. It’s about imagination and joy. The child pretending to score the winning goal. The group of friends turning any open space into a pitch. The feeling of being part of something more.
As the World Cup approaches, your business can match the excitement with impact that lasts long after the final whistle. Soles4Souls already works with leading global brands that understand the power of product donation and purposeful partnership, and we’re now looking for partners in the UK. As Karol Collymore, Senior Director, NIKE Inc. Sport & Society, told us:
“An important way NIKE, Inc. advances the future of youth sport is by partnering with product donation experts like Soles4Souls to place quality footwear and apparel in communities where they can make the greatest difference.”
That belief sits at the heart of our work. The right product, in the right place, at the right time, creates a ripple effect. It can help a child attend school, join a team, play with friends and feel seen. And who knows – maybe one day, we’ll be cheering them on at a World Cup, too.
To explore a UK partnership with Soles4Souls this summer and beyond, please contact us at [email protected].
