Cru equipping 100k believers to bring the Gospel to the 2026 FIFA World Cup

ORLANDO, May 4, 2026—As the 2026 FIFA World Cup prepares to draw an estimated five billion viewers worldwide next month, Victory Beyond the Cup is equipping believers to turn watch parties, neighborhood gatherings and shared cultural moments into lasting Gospel conversations.

A national initiative spearheaded by Cru, Victory Beyond the Cup is getting believers into the game by using the tournament as neutral ground to build community and spark meaningful faith conversations. Cru is partnering with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Alpha USA, I Am Second, and others to equip 100,000 individuals and 10,000 churches to engage in this cultural moment.

“With so many people interacting with the World Cup, whether watching with friends, checking scores, or even attending a game in one of the United States’ host cities, the opportunity for Gospel impact is too large to miss,” said Heather Reddy, executive director of Victory Beyond the Cup. “By removing barriers and making it easy to host and be involved, our hope is that we will see a lasting change, one that persists long after the winner is crowned.”

Victory Beyond the Cup is providing free physical and digital hosting kits–with a hosting guide, recipes from a variety of countries, prayer cards and conversation starters–to help people feel confident. The kits are available in French, English, Spanish and Portuguese, allowing Kingdom conversations to occur across cultural lines. Pastor kits also empower churches to engage their congregations in the initiative. Mighty Networks, an online digital community, allows participants to connect with others taking part from across the country.

For more information, visit VictoryBeyondtheCup.com. 

About Victory Beyond the Cup

Victory Beyond the Cup is Cru’s initiative to mobilize U.S. Christians and churches to use the 2026 FIFA World Cup for gospel impact. As 5 billion people are expected to watch the FIFA World Cup this summer, Victory Beyond the Cup helps believers spark meaningful conversations, connect across cultures and share the hope of Christ––right where the game begins. 

About Cru

Cru is a Christian evangelism and discipleship ministry passionate about connecting people to Jesus Christ. Cru has a campus ministry presence in 152 countries and actively engages more than 53,600 students and faculty on more than 750 U.S. high school and college campuses. Cru’s city ministries serve in more than 362 cities, partnering with churches and organizations to mobilize Christ followers who share God’s love throughout their communities. The JESUS film has been shown in every country around the world and translated into more than 2,249 languages. To date, Jesus Film Project has contributed to more than 600 million estimated decisions for Christ. For a complete list of Cru’s ministries, visit cru.org.

CONTACT:
Alli Ehrhardt, 541.973.1994
Karen Dye, 404.538.8591