Oakland Roots Sports Club to present SSUSA Cup Oakland and Dia de Los Muertos
Street Soccer USA announced today that the Street Soccer USA Cup Oakland will take place at Oakland’s Dia de Los Muertos Festival on Sunday, October 30th, 2022. Alongside presenting partner Oakland Roots SC, the day-long soccer tournament kicks off at 9am with the Youth Cup competition, followed by the Unity Match and Open Cup in the afternoon. In its second year, the Cup is a culmination of Street Soccer USA’s year-round programming in Oakland’s underserved neighborhoods that create safe places for youth to play soccer, learn, and grow.
The Oakland Cup is the creation of national nonprofit Street Soccer USA, whose mission is to fight poverty and strengthen communities through soccer. The Oakland Cup is part of the Street Soccer USA Cup series, the premier 4v4 soccer competition in the country. Tournaments feature fast-paced, high scoring matches on a pop-up soccer stadium with live DJs and emcees narrating the action from kick off to the final match. The Street Soccer USA Cup Series are transformative events that celebrate the unique soccer culture in the United States while catalyzing support for Street Soccer USA year-round programming that makes soccer accessible to the least served neighborhoods across the country.
The announcement marks the return of the Street Soccer USA Cup to Oakland for its second year as part of the city’s iconic Dia de Los Muertos Festival. The annual festival, now in its 27th year, is a free, outdoor festival that brings over 100,000 people to the vibrant, culturally-rich Fruitvale neighborhood to enjoy world-class live music, family-friendly games, rides and activities, traditional Latin American artisans, and the community members’ altar artistic installations created paying homage to los Muertos. The Día de Los Muertos Festival is organized by The Unity Council, whose mission is to promote social equity and improve quality of life by building vibrant communities where everyone can work, learn, and thrive.
The Cup is part of ‘Roots in the Community’, Oakland Roots’ grassroots community outreach program presented by Anthem Blue Cross. Roots in the Community is focused on growing the game of soccer and increasing access for all, whether as players, coaches or fans.
“We can’t wait to bring soccer back to the heart of Dia de los Muertos. We hope everyone gets behind this event which will help raise funds to bring sport to under-resourced communities in Oakland, and we’re especially excited to get more girls out on the field as we gear up for the launch of our women’s team, Oakland Soul,” said Mike Geddes, Oakland Roots and Oakland Soul Co-founder and Chief Purpose Officer.
“We’re thrilled to be returning to the Dia de Los Muertos Festival for the second Oakland Street Soccer USA Cup,” shared Alex Altman, Street Soccer USA Managing Director for the Bay Area. “At the 2022 Dia Festival, we’ll be stepping out onto the field in honor of the essential workers and essential work being done across Oakland as we rebuild from COVID-19. This community space and the day-long tournament is a beacon, showing us that our greatest tools to come back stronger as a community are rooted in our bonds with each other. Street Soccer USA’s approach – one of many incredible organizations doing the essential work across the Town – uplifts a pathway back from COVID using the world’s game to bring us together and strengthen our community through play.”
For more information about how to get involved as a player, volunteer, or sponsor of the event, contact Alex Altman at event@streetsoccerusa.org or visit http://streetsoccerusa.org/oaklandcup.
About SSUSA
Street Soccer USA is a national 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to fighting poverty and strengthening community through soccer in more than a dozen U.S. cities. Street Soccer USA holds Cups, builds Street Soccer Parks, and develops programs in the least served neighborhoods across the country, increasing access to the world’s most popular game and using soccer as a tool for youth and community development.
About Oakland Roots Sports Club
Oakland Roots is the first, Purpose-driven professional sports team in the United States, competing in the USL Championship, the largest pro soccer league in the country. The Roots’ Purpose is ‘to harness the magic of Oakland and the power of sports as a force for social good’ and the team is co-owned by NFL legend Marshawn Lynch.