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The April 1, 2026, event at Seton Hall University brought together leaders across public safety, business, sports, and community development to explore what responsible preparation should look like ahead of 2026. Special thanks to Professor Clifford Stott, Frank Pannell of the U.S. Soccer Federation, Major Christopher Modarelli of the New Jersey State Police, Erik Stover of the New York Cosmos, Kelly Brozyna, and Rafael Bello for helping lead such an important conversation.
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hosted by the Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute
LATEST NEWS
Kickoff Diplomacy: Germany’s Ambassador to Ecuador on the Beautiful Game and the Art of Connection
By Giovanna Aguilar |
Interview • Quito, Ecuador • January 2026 Ambassador Jens Peter Lütkenherm reflects on a life in diplomacy, his love of the beautiful game, and what it means to find home in a country of extraordinary diversity. Jens Peter Lütkenherm has spent the better part of four decades representing Germany across five continents. From the consulate…
Kicking It to 2026 Featured on ABC’s Tiempo Following Seton Hall Summit on 2026 Readiness
By Giovanna Aguilar |
Giovanna Aguilar joined José Torres on ABC’s Tiempo this week, alongside Kelly Brozyna, CEO of the New Jersey Small Business Development Center, to discuss Kicking It to 2026: The Countdown to the Game and reflect on last week’s summit at Seton Hall University. Their conversation focused on preparations for 2026, including crowd safety, public readiness,…
Press Release: Summit on Public Safety and the 2026 Soccer Tournament Features Global Crowd Safety Expert Professor Clifford Stott and U.S. Soccer Federation Vice President of Security Frank Pannell
By Giovanna Aguilar |
Moderated by Rafael Bello, five-time Emmy Award-winning journalist New Jersey – A public conversation on crowd psychology, public safety and readiness ahead of the 2026 international soccer tournament will take place Wednesday, April 1, 2026, hosted by Seton Hall University’s Joseph A. Unanue Latino Institute. The event is produced by Kicking It to 2026: The…
Kicking It to 2026 Docuseries Summit: Keeping the Peace Around the 2026 Game with Professor Clifford Stott
By Giovanna Aguilar |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MEDIA CONTACT: Giovanna Aguilar, Director and Executive Producer gaguilar@candescoproductions.com February 16, 2026 Professor Clifford Stott New Jersey – A public conversation on crowd psychology, public safety and readiness ahead of the 2026 international soccer tournament will take place Wednesday, April 1. Produced by Kicking It to 2026: The Countdown to the Game, the…
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ABOUT
Kicking It to 2026! The Countdown to the Soccer Game is a mobile-first docuseries that puts fans at the center of the story, capturing their point of view from the local communities they call home — often far from the countries they're cheering for as the 2026 World Cup approaches.
Filmed on mobile for immediacy and authenticity, the series highlights local traditions, real fan experiences and the rising excitement across the 16 host cities in Mexico, the United States and Canada. Each episode blends human-interest storytelling with the global scale of the tournament, revealing how everyday passion fuels the countdown to the world's biggest game — and what fans are preparing for next.
