- More than two million meals are expected to be distributed in Canada, Mexico and the United States
- For every Leagues Cup match ticket sold,2 meals will be donated to individuals in need in North America
- Selected host stadiums will collaborate with local organizations to distribute unused food
Leagues Cup, the inaugural World Cup-style club tournament that brings together all Major League Soccer (MLS) and LIGA MX clubs, is proud to announce its impactful initiative to address food insecurity in the communities of all 47 participating clubs across Canada, Mexico and the United States. Under the theme United Against Hunger, MLS and LIGA MX will collaborate during the competition between July 21 and August 19 to provide meals and support to those in need.
Recognizing the pressing issue of food insecurity in our societies, Leagues Cup aims to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and families who lack access to an affordable and nutritious diet. By leveraging the influence of soccer, Leagues Cup aims to create positive change and uplift communities where we live and play our games.
According to the USDA, more than 34 million Americans, including 9 million children, face food insecurity in the United States, struggling to obtain sufficient nourishment. Similarly, in Canada, 6.9 million people in the ten provinces, including almost 1.8 million children, lived in a food-insecure household in 2022, according to a study by University of Toronto researchers. In Mexico, approximately 30 million people, or 23.5% of the population, live in "food poverty," according to data collected by Mexico's National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development Policy (CONEVAL) in 2022.
Leagues Cup, MLS, and LIGA MX are committed to making a significant impact on reducing food insecurity. Throughout the tournament, for every match ticket sold, two meals will be donated to those in need in North America. Organizers will donate more than two million meals to the communities of all 47 participating clubs. Additionally, select stadiums hosting Leagues Cup matches will collaborate with local food organizations to distribute unused food following those events.
To ensure the effectiveness of our efforts, Leagues Cup has partnered with renowned community organizations dedicated to fighting hunger. In the United States, Feeding America, the largest domestic hunger-relief organization, will work alongside tournament organizers. In Mexico, Bancos de Alimentos de México, a network of food banks, will contribute their expertise. In Canada, Leagues Cup’s partnership with Second Harvest will support efforts to alleviate food insecurity in the country.
As part of this initiative, Leagues Cup will hold public events in the region to promote its commitment beyond the game and address the pressing issue of food insecurity with the support of both LIGA MX and MLS.
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Acerca de Red BAMX
La Red Nacional de Bancos de Alimentos en México (Red BAMX), asociación civil sin fines de lucro, fue fundada hace tres décadas. Agrupa a más de 50 Bancos de Alimentos en casi toda la República Mexicana. Su misión es combatir el hambre y mejorar la nutrición en México. Rescata alimentos a lo largo de toda la cadena de valor para llevarlos a poblaciones vulnerables, trabajando bajo los más altos estándares de control de calidad y de manejo logístico. Además de ser miembro fundador de The Global Foodbanking Network.
About Feeding America
Feeding America® is the largest hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through a network of more than 200 food banks, 21 statewide food bank associations, and over 60,000 partner agencies, food pantries and meal programs, we helped provide 6.6 billion meals to tens of millions of people in need last year. Feeding America also supports programs that prevent food waste and improve food security among the people we serve; brings attention to the social and systemic barriers that contribute to food insecurity in our nation; and advocates for legislation that protects people from going hungry. Visit www.feedingamerica.org, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.
About Second Harvest
Second Harvest is Canada’s largest food rescue organization and is a global thought leader on perishable food redistribution. We operate at the intersection of hunger relief and environmental protection, tackling food loss and waste through food redistribution, research, awareness, and education, continually innovating and collaborating to ensure a more sustainable planet. We work with thousands of food businesses from across the supply chain utilizing logistics and technology to reduce the amount of edible food going to waste, thereby diverting unnecessary greenhouse gases from entering the environment. Our inclusive model ensures this healthy surplus food is redirected to thousands of charities and non-profits across the country, providing millions of Canadians experiencing food insecurity access to the nourishment they need. Learn more: secondharvest.ca.
About Leagues Cup
Leagues Cup represents a monumental new chapter for North American soccer. Beginning in 2023, Major League Soccer and LIGA MX will pause their seasons each summer and all 47 first division professional soccer clubs in the U.S., Mexico and Canada will compete in a World Cup-style tournament, which will qualifty the top three finishers on to the Concacaf Champions Cup. Leagues Cup 2023 will kick off Friday, July 21 and will feature 77 games hosted at stadiums throughout the U.S. and Canada, with the Final taking place on Saturday, August 19. Fans in over 100 countries* and regions will be able to watch Leagues Cup on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app, which is available on Apple devices, smart TVs, streaming devices from Roku, Amazon, and Google, game consoles, and the web at tv.apple.com. In addition, TelevisaUnivision, FOX Sports, TSN and RDS will be the linear broadcast home for select Leagues Cup matches in the United States and Canada.
Ticket Information
Tickets for all matches are available on LeaguesCup.com and are also available to fans via the hosting MLS club. MLS club season ticket holders should contact their club representative for more information or visit LeaguesCup.com and follow @LeaguesCup on social.
