On a Tuesday morning in Southwest Miami, Inter Miami midfielder David Ruiz traded the MLS pitch for a different kind of field. The 22-year-old, one of the more promising young talents in Major League Soccer, spent June 9 at Tropical Park alongside local kids, coaches, and community leaders as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee's ONE GAME ONE FUTURE initiative, a countywide legacy program built around youth development through soccer.

The timing was deliberate. With FIFA World Cup 2026 matches scheduled at Hard Rock Stadium in the coming weeks, the Host Committee has used the months leading up to the tournament to push programming beyond the stadium gates. The tournament is projected to generate up to $1.3 billion in economic impact in Miami, with an estimated one million visitors expected during the summer. But the Host Committee has framed ONE GAME ONE FUTURE around a different question: what stays after the final whistle. The initiative targets youth development, coach education, health and wellness services, and community engagement, with a stated goal of creating opportunities for young people and families across Miami-Dade County long after the tournament ends. University of MiamiMiamifwc26

David Ruiz Brings Honduras and Inter Miami's Academy Story to Southwest Miami

Ruiz is a natural fit for this kind of event. Born in Miami, he moved to Honduras at age five before returning to the United States three years later, and came up through the Inter Miami CF Academy before making his senior international debut for Honduras in the CONCACAF Nations League. He is, in a literal sense, a product of the same South Florida youth soccer ecosystem the Host Committee is trying to strengthen. At Tropical Park, he joined participants in on-field drills, worked directly with young athletes during the clinic, and spent time with families after the session. WikipediaInter Miami CF

The event itself was structured around two tracks. Football for Peace and FIU led a Coaches Workshop designed to give local coaches tools for using sport as a vehicle for leadership development. A Youth Soccer Clinic ran alongside it, with participants ranging from school-age athletes to community educators. Rodney Barreto, Co-Chair of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Miami Host Committee, framed the day as evidence of what the lead-up to the tournament has made possible. "Through ONE GAME ONE FUTURE, we continue to see how organizations, businesses, and community leaders are coming together to create meaningful opportunities for young people across Miami-Dade County," Barreto said.

Naftali Group Equipment Drive and a Milestone for the Host Committee

The June 9 clinic also served as the public handoff of a separate community initiative. Naftali Group, the real estate developer behind JEM Private Residences at Miami Worldcenter, launched a soccer equipment donation drive at its sales gallery on May 27. Local brokers, community leaders, and guests brought cleats, gear, and financial contributions; Naftali Group matched everything raised. Proceeds went toward youth programming through the Miami-Dade County Parks and Recreation Foundation.

"At Naftali Group, we believe the strongest developments are rooted in their surroundings and contribute to the communities they become a part of," said Danielle Naftali, Executive Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Design at Naftali Group. "Supporting ONE GAME ONE FUTURE is a meaningful opportunity to help expand access to soccer for young people across Miami-Dade County."

Miami-Dade County Commissioner for District 10, Anthony Rodriguez, attended and spoke directly about what the program represents beyond the gear and the drills. "ONE GAME ONE FUTURE reflects the positive impact sports can have on young people," Rodriguez said. "It's about building character, encouraging teamwork, and creating opportunities for our youth to grow, lead, and succeed both on and off the field."

Tropical Park, built on the site of a former horse track in 1979, draws approximately 1.5 million visitors annually and has long been one of Miami-Dade's busiest recreational venues. It is the kind of place these clinics were made for: open to the public, rooted in the community, already a gathering point for families across Southwest Miami. The Host Committee said it has now completed more than 20 youth soccer clinics across Miami-Dade County through the ONE GAME ONE FUTURE program since its launch. Miami-Dade County

The World Cup matches in Miami begin this summer. For the kids who spent a Tuesday morning at Tropical Park working on their first touch with a professional midfielder from their own city, the tournament is already something more than a televised event.

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