Consul General Gicela Andrade Valens: Somos Fútbol — Ecuador Identity, and NJNY Global Tournament 2026
Interview • NYC, NY • May 2026 Gicela Andrade Valens on what it means to represent Ecuador when its national team plays in the historic 2026 World Cup at MetLife Stadium. There are personal stakes for me in this interview. I was born in Quito, and though I have lived my whole life in the…
Read MoreThe Beautiful Game as Diplomacy: Mexico’s Head Consul on Fútbol and 2026 | Kicking It to 2026
Interview • New Brunswick, NJ • March 2026 Consul Mariana Díaz-Nagore on fútbol, community, and why the 2026 tournament is about far more than the final score. In Mexico, they don’t call it soccer. They call it fútbol — and the distinction matters more than it might seem. When Mariana Díaz-Nagore, Head Consul of Mexico…
Read MoreKickoff Diplomacy: Germany’s Ambassador to Ecuador on the Beautiful Game and the Art of Connection
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…
Read MoreKicking It to 2026 Featured on ABC’s Tiempo Following Seton Hall Summit on 2026 Readiness
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,…
Read MorePress Release: Public Safety Event Ahead of 2026 Soccer Tournament Features Clifford Stott and U.S. Soccer Federation’s Frank Pannell
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…
Read MoreKicking It to 2026 Docuseries Summit: Keeping the Peace Around the 2026 Game with Professor Clifford Stott
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…
Read MoreKicking It to 2026! The Docuseries Kicking Off Local Stories to the Global Game
It is official. The countdown of countdowns has begun with the Friday, December 5 FIFA World Cup 2026™ draw and the release of the match schedule this weekend. For the first time, three countries — the United States, Canada and Mexico — will host 48 nations competing in the biggest international sporting event on Earth.…
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