The FIFA World Cup is playing out in Miami Gardens, but the tournament's lasting social impact is being shaped from an office in Coral Gables. Jennifer Roche, a University of Miami graduate who built her career on the belief that sports can change lives, is stepping forward for youth sports.
Roch, a director of community and legacy for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee, has organized nearly 20 free youth soccer clinics across Miami-Dade County since taking the role in November 2024, according to a University of Miami profile. The clinics, branded "One Game, One Future," have reached children ages 7 to 16 in Little Havana, Little Haiti, Miami Gardens and other neighborhoods, pairing soccer instruction with free health screenings and coach training on mental health, violence prevention and nutrition.
"How are we using this mega event to create social change and make sure we're leaving something behind?" Roche said in the profile.
Coral Gables Emerges as Tournament's Nerve Center
The host committee is headquartered in Coral Gables and led by President and CEO Alina Hudak. FIFA's North American headquarters occupies a 60,000-square-foot office at 396 Alhambra Circle, where roughly 100 staff relocated from Zurich in 2024. Together, the offices make the city the administrative hub of the 48-nation tournament.
Career Path Ran Through Special Olympics, CONCACAF
Roche earned her master's degree from UM's Sport Administration program in 2016. She moved to Miami in 2015, interned with the Hurricane Club and completed her final graduate placement with Special Olympics Florida, where she eventually became senior manager of sports training and competition, overseeing programs for more than 10,000 athletes across South Florida.
In 2020, she joined CONCACAF and spent four years traveling to all 41 member nations, managing legacy projects tied to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Her work focused on education, life skills and community development.
Three Pillars Guide Legacy Projects
Roche's current role rests on three pillars: access to soccer, sustainability and community engagement. Longer-term projects include expanding blind soccer programming with the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind, supporting Little Haiti FC's youth development and building a new community soccer field in Miami Gardens that will remain free and open after the tournament ends.
Goodwill Industries serves as the host committee's logistics partner, a partnership Roche said reflects the organization's commitment to employing people with disabilities.
UM Ties to FIFA Predate Tournament
Paul Resnick, senior lecturer and internship director for UM's Sport Administration program, said the department built contacts within FIFA offices years before the tournament arrived, securing internships and volunteer roles for students and alumni. He called Roche "a shining example of how to keep working up the ranks of this industry."
Matches Set for Hard Rock Stadium
Miami is hosting seven World Cup matches at Hard Rock Stadium, including a quarterfinal Saturday, July 11, and the third-place playoff Saturday, July 18. The tournament final is Sunday, July 19, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
