Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently
Asked Questions
“Team of Champions” is PepsiCo’s national purpose platform that will provide $1 million over three years to improve access to soccer in underserved communities in the U.S. Building upon the company’s UEFA Champions League partnership, investments on and off the field will support 11 local organizations with the aim to level the playing field with apparel and equipment, field access, fan experiences, and mentoring, coaching and education for Hispanic and Black communities.
Given the rising costs associated with youth soccer and the average costs of field time ($100 per hour) and equipment ($75 for cleats, $30 for balls) according to Alianza de Futbol, PepsiCo’s $1 million investment has the ability to create up to 10,000 hours of field time, gift over 13,000 pairs of cleats and purchase over 33,000 soccer balls over the three year commitment.
Uniting people through soccer and sharing the joy of the game is something PepsiCo brands Pepsi, Lay’s and Gatorade have been doing on and off the field for decades.
“Team of Champions” is another step in PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey, which in 2020 saw the company make investments of more than $570 million over the next five years to lift up Black and Hispanic businesses and communities in the U.S. to address issues of inequality and create opportunity.
Each season will feature different organizations, enabling PepsiCo’s commitment to be shared in various underserved Black and Hispanic communities around the country.
As of now, there is no formal application process to be considered one of the “Team of Champions” organizations. You can submit details about your organization here.
In 2021, the program benefited more than 9,000 athletes and coaches in the first year alone, including the provision of educational opportunities to refine and optimize their leadership skills. This year it’s expected to benefit even more players.
“Team of Champions” is another step in PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey, which in 2020 saw the company commit to invest more than $570 million over five years to increase Black and Hispanic representation, leverage its scale and influence across suppliers and strategic partners, and help address inequality and create economic oppotunity for Black and Hispanic Americans.
“Team of Champions” is a $1 million commitment over three years that makes actionable investments on and off the field to help create transformational change for Hispanic and Black communities across the United States through soccer. Partnering with these 11 organizations, PepsiCo is investing in Hispanic and Black soccer clubs, programs and businesses, with the ambition to drive long-term change and address systemic barriers in these underserved communities.
More information about PepsiCo’s Racial Equality Journey can be found here.