The initiative will be delivered across 14 countries, including FIFA World Cup 2026™ host countries Canada and Mexico, through partnerships with established sport-for-development organisations. Each partner will deliver locally tailored programmes within a shared global framework supported by Bank of America, with programme modules being developed in collaboration with leading global universities and educational institutions.
Participants will take part in sport-based activities alongside structured learning focused on six core themes:
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Wellbeing
- Nutrition
- Financial education
Bernard Mensah, President of International at Bank of America, said: “Sport has a unique ability to bring people together and open doors to opportunity. Through Sports with Us and with our position as the Official Bank Sponsor of FIFA World Cup 2026™, we have an opportunity to create an impact that lasts well beyond the final whistle. This initiative harnesses the power of sport to help young people, regardless of background, build skills, confidence and resilience.”
Sir David Beckham, Bank of America Global Sports Ambassador, said: “Football has given me opportunities I could only have dreamed of, and I’ve seen how powerful it can be in building confidence, resilience and a sense of purpose for young people. What I love about this initiative is that it focuses on the whole person – not just the game, but the skills and support young people need to shape their futures.”
The initiative will initially be delivered across 14 global markets, including the FIFA World Cup 2026™ host countries Canada and Mexico, alongside the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, Australia and India, with the ambition to scale reach over time.
Where possible, Bank of America teammates will support delivery through mentoring, volunteering and skills‑based engagement with partner organisations at a local level.
This initiative forms part of the continued expansion of Sports with Us, which brings together Bank of America’s global sports partnerships – including football, endurance and golf – to drive progress, celebrate achievement and support communities.
Through Sports with Us, Bank of America invests in programmes that promote participation, wellbeing and opportunity, while helping create lasting economic and social impact in the communities it serves.
The new sports and skills initiative builds on the bank’s broader portfolio of sport-led programmes, including Soccer at Schools, Street Soccer Parks and Golf with Us, extending this approach to a global scale.
By integrating delivery through established community organisations and aligning with Bank of America’s wider commitment to economic mobility, the initiative is designed as a scalable platform that will sustain impact over the long term.
Answer: It is a global youth development programme that uses sport to help young people build life skills, improve wellbeing and pathways to support access to education and employment.
Answer: Bank of America aims to impact more than 10,000 young people globally by the end of 2028.
Answer: The programme will initially be delivered across 14 markets, including FIFA World Cup 2026™ host countries Canada and Mexico, alongside the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil, Colombia, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, Australia and India.
Answer: Participants will develop six core life skills: Leadership, Teamwork, Communication, Wellbeing, Nutrition, Financial Education
Answer: As the Official Bank of the FIFA World Cup 2026™, Bank of America is using the global reach and engagement of the tournament to support the expansion of its Sports with Us platform and create a lasting legacy that extends beyond the event itself.
Bank of America is one of the world’s leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving nearly 70 million clients with approximately 3,500 retail financial centers, approximately 15,000 ATMs (automated teller machines) and award-winning digital banking with approximately 59 million verified digital users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. As the #1 small business lender in the United States (FDIC), Bank of America offers industry leading support to approximately 4 million small business households through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and more than 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Ben Owen, Bank of America
Phone:plus 4 4 2 0 7 9 9 6 3 6 9 6
ben.owen2@bofa.com
Peter McKenna, Bank of America
Phone:plus 4 4 2 0 7 9 9 6 3 1 0 2
peter.mckenna@bofa.com
