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The GIST: U.S. Soccer wants to buy the world a Coke. The organization announced a long-term partnership with Coca-Cola North America last week, making the popular beverage company their second-largest partner after Nike.

The background: Coca-Cola has retained a longtime presence in international and American soccer, including a four-year deal with U.S. Soccer and MLS that ran from 2015 to 2019. As one of FIFA’s oldest corporate partners (since 1974), Coke has been an official sponsor at every World Cup since 1978.

The details: The partnership is focused on growing soccer in the U.S., especially at the youth level. Its main goal is to bring all American soccer fans together by increasing U.S. Soccer’s visibility, with Coke contributing unique and innovative digital activations for the USWNT and USMNT.

The timing: As a former partner (and critic) of U.S. Soccer, this new deal represents a big step for Coke in the American soccer landscape. With the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) inching closer, the partnership was announced just in time for a potential collab with the USWNT as they compete for a third straight WWC title.

• The deal also precedes an influx of global soccer events on American soil in the near future — the 2024 Copa America, the 2024 CONCACAF W Gold Cup, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup will all partially or entirely take place in the country. A true party in the USA.

Zooming out: In 2021, Nike became U.S. Soccer’s biggest partner after signing a 10-year deal. While Nike is arguably the biggest global sports brand, Coca-Cola is a bigger overall company ($82B more in market cap, to be specific), and boasts similar widespread appeal.

• Nabbing a huge partnership with Coke is a testament to the USWNT’s impact on the overall American soccer landscape. Its popularity and success attracts global brands — with the ability to transform the future of the sport — to the federation. Like a moth to the flame…

The GIST: Women’s soccer is facing an ACL epidemic. Numerous stars have been left off WWC rosters this year due to ACL injuries, illuminating a dark side of the rapidly-growing, yet underfunded, sport.

The context: The list of major ACL–related absences is long — USWNT stars Christen Press and Catarina Macario, three English starters including captain Leah Williamson, and Netherlands superstar Vivianne Miedema are not available for the tourney. Yikes.

• Not only are the teams missing these players on the field, but their absence can also hurt the game off the field — it’s more difficult to leverage the game’s popularity and attract sponsorship when the tournament is missing the WWC–promised best of the best.

The why: While slight anatomic differences are a potential contributing factor, some believe women’s soccer’s inability to keep up with itself may be a bigger issue. The growth of the sport is positive on many levels, but can be disastrous without corresponding increases in safety measures.

• New investment in the sport has led to more opportunities to play (i.e. longer schedules), but doesn’t necessarily translate to consistent access to medical staff and trainers or high-quality fields and facilities.

Zooming out: Rising popularity is no longer good enough for women’s sports. While equal ratings, exposure, and marketing are all necessary steps in the right direction, the recent slew of ACL injuries in women’s soccer illustrates the importance of providing women athletes with the same resources as men. Player safety depends on it.

• The women’s soccer resource gap could be filled through meaningful and thoughtful sponsorships, similar to the way the WNBA and LPGA continue exploring ways to provide other health-related resources to players.

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