Having World Cup withdrawal? Boston is hosting its very own over the next few weeks.

Jaden Perry | Boston Globe

7/18/26

Just as the World Cup is about to wrap up, Boston kicked off its own worldly

competition at Carter Playground Saturday in a continuation of the euphoric soccer

spirit that’s engulfed the city in recent weeks.

The annual Boston Unity Cup, a World Cup style competition where men’s and

women’s teams represent 36 countries, kicked off with a parade, as balls flew through

the air, percussionists thumped their drums, and flag bearers displayed their national

colors.

Over the next two weeks, 32 men’s and 10 women’s teams — all from Boston — will

compete for their respective titles as they represent their native countries — from

Uzbekistan to Somalia, South Korea to Mauritania.

“In a global city with such a high population of immigrants, there really is no better

way to bring people together and create opportunity and cohesion,” said Caroline

Foscato, president and founder of Soccer Unity Project. Since 2018, the nonprofit has

organized and hosted the games.

Before the Parade of Nations, the competition’s opening ceremony in which teams

march their flags onto the field, Foscato darted back and forth for last minute

coordination. The players, fitted in jerseys emblazoned with their country’s flags,

lined up.

Once everything was in order, percussionists from Grooversity slammed their drums

at the front of the pack. Foscato danced, players hyped themselves up, and onlookers

shouted as the flags flapped by.

“It was amazing,” Monica Tuccella, a player for the Venezuelan team, said after the

parade. “Venezuela personally has never been in the World Cup, so just having the

opportunity to have Venezuela in the Unity Cup here, and be a part of it, it was just

amazing.”

Earlier Saturday morning, Venezuela beat the Mexican team. With the recent twin

earthquakes that devastated much of Venezuela, Tuccella, 29, said the Unity Cup

provided another opportunity to raise awareness for the country.

“It’s been a great opportunity to continue to raise our voice,” she said.

On the men’s side, South Korea snagged a win against Morocco — a special moment,

as this was the country’s first time competing in the Unity Cup.

“I saw [a] poster, and I wanted to sign up,” South Korean player Jae Song said as he

recalled the first time he heard about the Unity Cup. “I wanted to meet other Koreans

and play soccer together.”

Once the teams entered the field, they encircled Foscato with the vibrant colors of

their countries flags, encapsulating the kaleidoscope of cultures found in the city.

Foscato thought of the ambitious idea for a soccer competition when she saw a friend

from Philadelphia pull it off first. “We met with [organizers] and we said, ‘How do

you do this?’” Foscato said. “Like, ‘How do we create the space that feels

welcoming for all?’”

As her team at Soccer Unity Project has long done, Foscato’s goal was to unify

Boston through the beautiful game with participation being completely free through

corporate and city sponsorship.

Local businesses and organizations lined Columbus Avenue for the Cup’s Resource

Fair. Back on the field, kids dribbled soccer balls through cones at the Youth

Jamboree, a free clinic for kids.

The “neat thing with Soccer Unity Project is they offer it to all levels of all

backgrounds in the city,” said Greg Rowe, president of the Boston Dream Soccer

Association. “They get to learn from some of the best.”

Foscato said this year’s participation has swelled thanks to the World Cup hype. In

total, nearly 800 players will compete in this year’s Unity Cup, making it the largest

competition to date.

“For some people around the world, [soccer] is like oxygen,” Foscato said. “Like it is

so palpable how they feel.”

That was certainly the case for Oslin Mayhew, 71. Before the parade started, he was

on the field performing tricks with a soccer ball most players his age wouldn’t be able

to pull off.

“Soccer is like food. I don’t think there’s a nation on the planet earth that doesn’t have

a soccer team,” Mayhew said, sweat beading down his face. “Soccer is in my blood.”

For the past five years, the Trinidadian has coached the Unity Cup’s Cape Verdean

women’s team. Though he has strong hopes of finally getting the team past the

semifinals, it’s not the competition that reels him back to the games — rather, it’s the

community.

“The community getting together in a positive way, seeing so many different nations,

nationalities, coming together to play this wonderful, beautiful game that’s called

soccer,” said Mayhew, who’s lived in the city for more than 50 years. “It’s just great

for the city of Boston ... that’s what keeps me coming back.”

Jaden Perry can be reached at jaden.perry@globe.com.