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ROCKY HILL, Conn. – The U.S. Soccer Federation and Henkel, a leading manufacturer of well-known consumer and industrial brands, such as Dial soaps, Persil and all laundry detergents, Snuggle fabric softeners, Schwarzkopf hair care, as well as Loctite, OSI, Technomelt and Bonderite adhesives, today announced a new, multi-year partnership. The partnership will make Henkel the presenting partner of U.S. Soccer's Young Player of the Year Awards and community youth soccer clinics, and a supporting partner of the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer National Training Center – the Federation's new home in Atlanta.
The partnership marks Henkel's first-ever portfolio deal and will leverage a range of its more than 30 popular brands in North America, to promote the U.S. Men's and Women's National Teams, as well as the Youth and Extended National Teams, during the most exciting, unprecedented moment for the sport in the United States over the next several years.
"This partnership exemplifies our commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive soccer ecosystem," said U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson. "Henkel's support amplifies our reach and enhances resources for our athletes, while deepening our connection with communities across the country. We're thrilled to work together to inspire and empower the next generation."
"Around the globe, sports is a source of energy, pride and inspiration. That´s why we are proud to be partnering with U.S. Soccer," said Carsten Knobel, CEO of Henkel. "The partnership will provide a strong platform to connect and inspire our employee teams and bring to life our strong values and culture. It will also create an opportunity to engage with our customers and consumers and support our corporate brand and strong brands in North America, Henkel´s single biggest market globally. We are looking forward to this exciting partnership."
Together, U.S. Soccer and Henkel will help highlight the outstanding achievements of National Team players through the Federation's Young Male and Female Player of the Year Awards, which recognize the best USMNT and USWNT players over the course of the calendar year and are decided by U.S. Soccer sporting representatives, select national media members, and a fan vote at the end of the year, alongside the best players from the U.S. Youth and Extended National Teams.
In the spirit of supporting and enhancing the National Teams, a portion of Henkel's investment will directly support High Performance resources at U.S. Soccer's new state-of-the-art Training Center. Located just outside of Atlanta, the facility is slated to open in 2026 and will be the Federation's new headquarters and home to its 27 National Teams.
As part of its commitment to making soccer safe and accessible, Henkel will also help grow the sport at the grassroots level through local programming, supporting AYSO and U.S. Soccer community youth clinics across the nation. AYSO is one of U.S. Soccer's 116 member organizations, which the Federation oversees as the governing body of the sport in the United States while collaborating to grow the game.
Henkel becomes U.S. Soccer's 14th strategic partner and its seventh new partner since bringing its commercial rights in house at the start of 2023. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the governing body of soccer in the United States, U.S. Soccer's revenue directly impacts the growth and stability of the broader American soccer landscape.
