As youth soccer grows in popularity across the United States, a significant disparity in access to soccer fields has become apparent, particularly in Texas. Despite the creation of over 1,100 new soccer fields in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2014, many children from lower-income neighborhoods still lack access to these facilities.

Uneven Distribution of Soccer Fields

The distribution of soccer fields is not even, with areas of higher median household income having more fields available. In fact, elementary school-aged children in areas with the lowest median household income have access to only a third as many soccer fields as those in areas with the highest median household income.

This disparity is further exacerbated by the fact that soccer in the United States operates largely on a pay-to-play model, making it difficult for children from lower-income families to participate. According to the 2025 State of Play report from the Aspen Institute, the average U.S. family spends $1,016 on their child’s primary sport, a cost that is out of reach for many families.

Efforts to Increase Access

Some organizations, such as the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Street Soccer USA, are working to increase access to soccer for children from underserved communities. These efforts include building new soccer fields and providing alternative models to the pay-to-play system.

However, more needs to be done to address the systemic issues that prevent many children from participating in soccer. As Lex Chalat, the executive director of U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation, noted, making soccer truly accessible to everyone will require a sustained effort and a commitment to community-centered and sustainable solutions.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.