As the 2026 FIFA World Cup delivers world-class matches and global drama, the excitement is reaching Alpena’s youth soccer community.

Though the U.S. men’s national team was eliminated earlier this week, the quadrennial tournament is still sparking conversations and inspiration among players, parents, and coaches here at home.

Josh Schultz, president of the Thunder Bay Soccer Association (TBSA), which runs recreational programs and oversees the Alpena FC travel teams, said area coaches have been pointing players toward the games.

“Since we don’t have a summer program, our soccer community is not together this time of year,” Schultz said. “Our travel coaches have been encouraging their players to catch World Cup games, since these are some of the greatest games to watch and we only have this opportunity every four years.”

TBSA’s mission goes far beyond wins and losses. The nonprofit organization focuses on building character through the sport.

“The goal of our organization is to give kids in the Alpena area a positive environment to play soccer, learn teamwork, and grow in character,” Schultz explained. “While we want kids to compete and improve, winning games is not the main purpose. Our bigger focus is helping children learn good sportsmanship, honesty, loyalty, courage, and respect.”

“As a nonprofit organization, TBSA exists to serve the community,” Schultz added.

The association offers recreational co-ed programs in the fall and spring for ages 3-14 (U4 through U14 divisions). These teams emphasize basic skills and serve primarily as an introduction to the sport. Local sponsors help keep registration affordable for families.

For players seeking a higher level of competition, TBSA’s Alpena FC travel program continues to grow. The organization added a U10 girls travel team last fall for the first time and introduced a U10 boys’ team this fall. The travel side also includes U12 boys and girls, U14 boys and girls, and high school boys’ and girls’ teams that play opposite their Alpena Public Schools (APS) seasons. These squads compete in the Northern Michigan Soccer Alliance and help develop athletes who can advance to high school varsity and potentially Alpena Community College (ACC), which has begun developing its own soccer program.

Participation has remained steady despite the pull of other sports. Multi-sport athletes often force families to choose between soccer and football, softball, or baseball during overlapping seasons.

“Multi-sport athletes affect numbers. Since we offer a fall and spring season, football, softball, and baseball cause parents to choose one or the other (usually),” Schultz said. “I’ve been happy to see those programs doing well, while our numbers maintain stability at an average of 375 players the last three seasons.”

With fall 2026 registration now open through Aug. 9, Schultz is watching to see whether the World Cup spotlight translates into increased interest.

“Registration is just opening, so we will see if the World Cup increases interest in the sport,” he said. “It’s unfortunate that the U.S. men’s team is eliminated, because their success could have piqued interest.”

The broader Alpena community can help build off the momentum of the World Cup. Shultz discussed soccer’s unique accessibility and worldwide appeal.

“Soccer is a very accessible sport for many youths. There’s a reason it is one of the few sports found worldwide and has gained even greater momentum in recent years,” Shultz said. “Local sponsors help keep it affordable for young people to play. It keeps their bodies and minds active and healthy.”

The organization is always looking for volunteers whether it’s to coach, help with field maintenance, or refereeing. TBSA is hosting a referee class in Alpena on August 9 to help strengthen the local officiating pool.

On the field, there are already successes to celebrate. Most recently, the U14 girls team captured first place at a tournament in Petoskey.

Shultz takes pride in the dedicated people driving the program forward, even in a community where soccer doesn’t command the same spotlight as in other parts of the state.

“Certainly, soccer is not as big in Alpena as in other areas of the state, but we have some great athletes and incredibly dedicated coaches who are doing great things in our program,” Schultz said. “The World Cup is an exciting time for the country when we soccer fans get to enjoy world-class matches.”

As families plan fall activities, TBSA offers a welcoming place where global soccer passion can grow locally – one game, one practice, and one young athlete at a time. Registration for recreational and travel programs is open now through August 9. For details or to get involved as a volunteer, visit thunderbaysoccer.com or contact the Thunder Bay Soccer Association.