Miami SCORES had its first ever Miami SCORES Cup— and it was a success!
On Saturday, November 9, 2024, the inaugural Miami SCORES Cup took over Tropical Park, bringing together 24 corporate teams from some of Miami's top companies for an exciting day of soccer, philanthropy, and community building. The SCORES Cup is the world’s largest annual corporate charity soccer tournament series, taking place in 16 cities across North America in 2024, with Miami hosting the final Cup of the year!
Given that Miami SCORES is the newest member of America SCORES—North America's largest youth development nonprofit focused on soccer and literacy—the Miami SCORES Cup wasn’t just about friendly competition on the pitch. It was also about making a lasting difference for Miami’s Title I youth through after-school and summer programming in soccer, poetry, and service learning.
At the opening of the Miami SCORES Cup, the current Mayor of Miami, Francis X. Suarez, and General Secretary of Concacaf, Philippe Moggio, further commented on the power of football in uniting and empowering our communities.
A Day of Balling Out and Philanthropy
The tournament’s format was designed to accommodate players of all skill levels, with teams competing in either a Competitive Division or Recreational Division. The 7v7 coed games kept things fast-paced, fun, and engaging. Each team played a minimum of three 22-minute games, at Tropical Park’s stadium and Soccer5 fields.
Companies from across industries—including Google Public Sector | Carahsoft, PwC, Jefferies, Starbucks, Uber, and many more—came together to play ball in support of Miami SCORES, raising close to $100,000!
The funds will directly support the continuation of Miami SCORES’ soccer and literacy programming in 6 Title I elementary schools across the Little Haiti and Liberty City communities. These programs are focused on helping students not only improve academically but also develop the physical fitness, confidence, and leadership skills they need to succeed in life. In 2024 alone, Miami SCORES is expected to serve over 250 Title I public school youth.
The funds will also support essential program needs, including soccer equipment, transportation, and coach stipends, as well as student showcases like the Fall Frenzy and Community Poetry SLAM.
Shouting Out Winners and Sponsors
The inaugural 2024 Miami SCORES Cup was packed with exciting moments, and while every team played with heart, there were a few standout performances:
Recreational Division Champions: I Squared
Challenge Cup Winners: PwC
Competitive Division Champions: Jefferies
It wasn’t just the players who made the event a success—official sponsors like neaū water, BODYARMOR, and Starbucks kept participants hydrated and energized throughout the day, while Equinox provided additional support for participants’ wellness. Local partners like Concacaf and Soccer5 helped provide essential resources, from game balls to the venue, making it all possible. Lastly, a special thank you to Danny Va, the US Soccer Area Referee Administrator for our region, and his team of referees for their time!
A Strong Community Effort
The success of the Miami SCORES Cup was made possible by the generous support of participating companies, sponsors, and the leadership of the Miami SCORES Cup Committee, a group of community leaders and professionals who worked tirelessly to ensure the event’s success. From recruiting companies to helping with event planning, their contributions were instrumental in making the day a huge success!
The 2024 Miami SCORES Cup Committee members included:
Jonathan Batts, Goldman Sachs
Corbin Brailsford, Savills North America
Sergio Federico Carrillo Farfán, Citi
Reonne L. Cooper, Bank of America
Bryanna Cribb, Fiserv
Khori Donaldson, PwC
Casper Gimand, Jefferies
Pedro Gimenez Zapiola, Sony Music Entertainment
Brandon Hood, JP Morgan Chase
Lauren Markwith, LBM Marketing
Dylan Mencia, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Jose Pumarejo, NextEra Energy, Inc.
Chelsea Smith-Nejad, Cisco
Paula Quintero, bootbags
Eduardo Vega Valencia, Visa
The event was further supported by the hard work of the Miami SCORES team and a dedicated group of volunteers, including volunteers from Starbucks, Concacaf and Enterprise, referees, photographers, and athletic trainers. A special shoutout to Zary Rivera and Santiago Rodriguez (@santixshots) for their awesome photos!
Staying true to the event’s spirit of giving back, the team ensured that leftover food was donated to individuals without homes in Overtown and that all plastic bottles were recycled, reinforcing a commitment to both the local community and sustainability.
Looking Ahead
With the success of this year’s inaugural Miami SCORES Cup, the future of the event looks bright! Plans are already underway for the 2025 tournament, which will continue to build on the momentum created by this year’s incredible turnout.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to all the participating companies, sponsors, Cup Committee members, volunteers, and community partners who made the Miami SCORES Cup a success. Together, we’ve made a lasting impact on Miami’s next generation of community leaders, and we’re excited to continue this important work in the years to come!
Interested in getting involved with Miami SCORES, signing up your company for the 2025 Miami SCORES Cup or joining our SCORES Cup Organizing Committee? Please reach out to us at Miami@americascores.org!
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