7-market initiative will spotlight student ‘poet-athletes’ through soccer, poetry and community storytelling during National Poetry Month
City winners to be announced in April, with national winners celebrated at the Soccer Legacy Gala on May 8 in San Jose
Click here for photos and video of the kickoff event celebrated in Miami on March 13
MIRAMAR, Fla. – March 16, 2026 – Telemundo Station Group, part of NBCUniversal Local, and the SCORES Network (SCORES), formerly America SCORES, today announced a partnership to launch Atletas Poetas (Poet-Athletes), a national youth poetry celebration elevating student voices through the power of soccer and spoken word as communities build excitement toward the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
Through the partnership, SCORES will engage young people already participating in its after-school programming to write and perform original poems in Spanish or bilingual (Spanish-English) exploring themes of soccer, unity, community and joy. The celebration will take place across seven markets served by Telemundo-owned stations and SCORES programs: Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Miami and the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Our Telemundo-owned stations are deeply rooted in the communities they serve, and we’re proud to partner with the SCORES Network to spotlight local young ‘poet-athletes’ and amplify their voices,” said José Cancela, President of Telemundo Station Group. “As the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the U.S., we’re excited to connect fútbol, cultura and purpose, sharing inspiring stories that bring families together.”
Running March 16 through April 13, the initiative will culminate with city winners announced the week of April 15, followed by a national judging process to select two national winners, to be announced April 30. SCORES will lead local execution, including collecting poems and related content, securing permissions, and managing city-level judging through existing SCORES poetry events. A national panel will then select the winners from the city finalists.
“SCORES was born in 1994, inspired by the energy and possibility of the 1994 FIFA World Cup,” said Colin Schmidt, National Board Member of SCORES and Executive Director of America SCORES Bay Area. “As we approach the kickoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the partnership with the Telemundo-owned stations brings us full circle. Now our poet-athletes will take the stage and inspire fans of all ages with their words and their love of the beautiful game.”
Telemundo-owned stations will support the celebration by promoting the initiative locally and amplifying participating students and winners across TV, streaming and digital platforms, highlighting positive community stories in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup 2026™.
The national winners will be recognized at the Soccer Legacy Gala on May 8, 2026, in San Jose, Calif., an event that celebrates the legacy of the 1994 World Cup and the ongoing work of SCORES to create opportunity for young people through soccer, poetry and service.
Participating Telemundo-owned stations are: Telemundo 47 Nueva York / WNJU; Telemundo 52 Los Angeles / KVEA; Telemundo 51 Miami / WSCV; Telemundo 48 Área de la Bahía / KSTS; Telemundo Boston / WNEU; Telemundo Chicago / WSNS; and Telemundo 44 Washington, D.C. / WZDC.
About the SCORES Network
The SCORES Network (SCORES), formerly America SCORES, is an after-school nonprofit launched as a legacy of the 1994 World Cup. SCORES inspires youth to lead healthy lives, be engaged students, and have the confidence and character to make a difference in the world through our award-winning program blending soccer, poetry and student-led service-learning. SCORES serves 15,000+ young people across 13 cities in the U.S. and Canada, reaching students at 300+ Title I schools. Learn more at scoresnetwork.org.
About Telemundo Station Group
Telemundo Station Group, part of NBCUniversal Local, consists of Telemundo-owned stations in 31 markets, including each of the Top 20 U.S. Hispanic TV markets. The stations deliver comprehensive local news, weather, consumer and investigative reporting, and lifestyle entertainment content to Spanish-speaking audiences in the U.S. and Puerto Rico across TV, streaming and digital platforms. The station group also operates TeleXitos, a Spanish-language multicast network; four free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) regional news channels: Noticias Telemundo California, Noticias Telemundo Florida, Noticias Telemundo Noreste and Noticias Telemundo Texas, and the FAST channel Telemundo Puerto Rico.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
SCORES Network
Kimberly Cazares
Telemundo Station Group
Jael Mejia
