• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

Volkswagen of America is celebrating all forms of soccer with a new digital creative campaign.

The effort, from Johannes Leonardo, features new athlete ambassadors including global superstar Christian Pulisic, U.S. Women’s National Team standout Naomi Girma, U.S. Deaf National Team athletes Raul Silva and Emily Spreeman, and U.S. Beach Soccer National Team captain Alessandro (Sandro) Canale.

The newly named ambassadors represent a cross-section of the U.S. Soccer landscape, each bringing their own story to Volkswagen’s mission of driving visibility and opportunity throughout the sport, according to the automaker.

“Welcome To Our Turf” is anchored by an anthem film that features a special appearance by U.S. Soccer legend Landon Donovan as well as U.S. Power Soccer National Team athlete Ryan Connolly. It emphasizes the importance of representation and inclusion across every pitch, from the world’s biggest stages to community parks, beaches and gyms, demonstrating the connective power of the sport in all its forms.

Since first partnering with U.S. Soccer in 2019, Volkswagen has been dedicated to driving inclusion across the sport through a variety of activations, including youth soccer camps, introduction of the CHAMP telepresence robot, and jersey collaboration featuring American Sign Language.

"Soccer is a game for everyone, and Volkswagen is proud to help ensure that every player, no matter their background or format of play, has the opportunity to be seen and celebrated," says Rachael Zaluzec, senior vice president, marketing and customer experience at Volkswagen of America, in a release. "These athletes represent the heart, talent, and diversity that make soccer the global game we love."

The campaign coincides with the one-year countdown to the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, scheduled to be held June 11 to July 19, 2026, which will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico. 

Fan data shows  a growing market for the sport, according to fan intelligence company Sports Innovation Lab and European creative agency Jung von Matt Sports. 

Roughly one quarter (27%) of U.S.-based sports fans show an interest in soccer, compared to a global average of 40%, per the “Fanarchy26” report. 

The majority of fans (57%) watch more than two matches per week at home on television or via live stream on another device, per the report.

Soccer in the U.S., and specifically for Volkswagen, means so much more than the highly televised men’s game, says Zoe Kessler, creative director, Johannes Leonardo. 

“Our hope is that soccer fans broaden their aperture a bit to take in the whole world of soccer, from the men’s teams on the pitch, to the barefoot beach players, wheelchair and deaf athletes as well. Soccer is magic, no matter how you play it,” Kessler says in a statement.