For the second Road to the World Cup: Community Day presented by Amgen, employees of the biotech company as well as several local partners gathered at Inglewood High School United for a day of service, creating public art and putting together wellness kits for local students.
Ponda Motsepe-Ditshego, vice president and patient officer at Amgen, said at the event on May 2 that the love of soccer was what brought people together and that the road to the World Cup was building with the kind of excitement she remembered when she was living in South Africa in 2010.
“What an amazing day,” she said to cheers. “It's particularly special for me to be here today for this event.”
The event, presented by Amgen and organized with the Los Angeles Sports & Entertainment Commission (LASEC), which leads the Los Angeles World Cup 2026 Host Committee, paired World Cup anticipation with hands-on community support: teams of volunteers assembled 1,100 wellness and recovery kits for students and also took part in painting murals slated for display at Los Angeles International Airport as visitors begin to arrive for the matches.
This Community Day followed the first one presented by Amgen in April, where volunteers painted giant orbs with soccer and global motifs on them and then were dotted around Southern California as public art as a part of the region's lead-up to hosting World Cup games. One of the orbs was placed at Amgen's headquarters in Thousand Oaks, California.
Ponda said Amgen's connection to the World Cup made sense for a company that is focused on health and wellness.
“Amgen is really focused on fighting some of the world's toughest diseases and, as a health care company, promoting health and wellness for our own employees as well as the public is part of our DNA,” she said. “So, partnering with the Host Committee on events like this is absolutely a perfect match for us.”
Organizers framed the day as a continuation of Amgen's long-standing presence in Southern California. For more than four decades, the company and the Amgen Foundation have supported science education in the region, including programs for high school science teachers and efforts to bring biotechnology lab experiences to hundreds of thousands of students in Southern California.
"As a company that has proudly called Greater Los Angeles home for more than 45 years, we are honored to partner with organizations throughout the region to strengthen and support our communities through volunteerism and impactful sponsorships like this one,” said Christopher Collier, executive director of Brand Marketing & Reputation at Amgen, who leads corporate sponsorships.
At Inglewood High School United, that support took a practical form.
Volunteers packed recovery kits with items such as cooling towels, massage balls, ice packs, energy chews and lip balm tucked alongside soccer-themed touches, then sealed them in reusable clear drawstring bags for distribution to students.
Katheryn Schloessman, president and chief executive of LASEC and CEO of the Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee, told attendees that the World Cup is a chance to invest beyond the stadium walls, using global attention to elevate neighborhoods and create lasting benefits.
“The World Cup in this region is more than just the eight matches we are hosting,” she said. “It's using the spotlight to elevate our entire region and to showcase what is good about our city.”
One of the most visible projects unfolded in paint.
Volunteers worked on oversized murals and painted picnic tables with soccer and community-based themes. Between the painting, many took breaks to enjoy a few soccer-related games or enjoy food and drinks around the school grounds.
The Los Angeles World Cup Host Committee also announced a $26,000 contribution toward equipment and uniforms for the Inglewood High School United soccer team, funding intended to strengthen the program as interest in the sport grows ahead of 2026.
Former U.S. professional player Stu Holden, now a soccer analyst for Fox Sports, spoke at the event and praised the school's marching band for an “incredible" opening to the Community Day.
Stu noted the size of the 2026 tournament—48 teams playing 104 matches over 39 days across three host nations—as a reason communities are starting preparations early.
“The World Cup is going to hit this country like a tidal wave,” he said. “It's also our responsibility, with the power of the World Cup, to leave a lasting legacy.”
He contrasted that outlook with 1994, the last time men's World Cup matches were played in the United States, when the modern professional landscape was still taking shape. Today, multiple leagues anchor the sport domestically, including Major League Soccer, the USL Championship and the National Women's Soccer League.
Among the volunteers was Kenneth Shopshire, a seven-year Amgen employee who attended with his 10-year-old daughter, a soccer player. He said the opening festivities, especially the school marching band, set an energetic tone before he moved to the kit-building tables and mural stations.
“It's stuff like this that makes me proud to be an Amgen employee,” Kenneth said.
For Amgen, the Inglewood project marked the latest step in a broader community push leading into 2026. Organizers said the second Community Day is intended to be one of several opportunities to pair the tournament's global draw with local investment with a hope that health, community and the love of soccer continue to thrive long after the last World Cup game is played.
