As part of Visa’s long history of investing in and supporting the growth of the women’s game, Visa is excited to introduce the Visa Play and Stay program. The objective of the program is to encourage girls aged 11-16 to stay involved and engaged in the sport of soccer.
Despite the positive progress that has been made to level the playing field, gender disparity in sports persists. Girls aged 11-16 are two times more likely to drop out of sports than boys at this age and even though girls report significant mental and physical benefits from sport participation, only half of teenage girls are active in sport.
Visa Play and Stay is being developed in collaboration with Canada Soccer and will include creating opportunities for young girls to connect with current and former National Team players, showcasing the various pathways that exist in the sport of soccer, both on and off the pitch, and providing dedicated resources to support the development of interventions and solutions to ensure more girls Play and Stay in soccer.
In 2025, Visa introduced a special campaign through the Visa Play & Stay initiative highlighting the importance of keeping girls engaged in soccer. The campaign invites young players to imagine their “future selves” in the sport, offering an inspiring glimpse of what their soccer journeys could become. Debuting at the Canada Soccer Women’s National Team match against Costa Rica on 27 June 2025 at BMO Field in Toronto, the campaign feature video aims to motivate today’s players and empower the next generation to stay in the game.
Canadians can look forward to Visa Play and Stay coming to life through memorable events, engaging content, and other initiatives all connected to the program’s objective of encouraging girls aged 11-16 to stay involved and engaged in the sport of soccer.
