Football + Motherhood: A Historic Team-Up
For the first time ever, football clubs and fanbases are playing for mothers. FC Mother has united the global football fandom and the power of mothers everywhere into one unstoppable force.
By harnessing the energy of the beautiful game and the healing power of maternal stories, this movement tackles one of humanity's most pressing challenges: maternal health.
The World Cup of Healing turns that around by making mothers the heroes of a worldwide sporting spectacle.
Gamifying Maternal Health – A World's First
The 2025 World Cup of Healing is the first competition ever to gamify maternal health. How does it work? Just like a football championship, we've created teams, rallies, and a scoreboard – but the competition revolves around Life Years.
- Story Collection: Sharing and honoring motherhood stories that contribute to awareness and healing.
- Support Networks:Building support teams around expectant and new mothers – just as fans support their clubs.
- Healing Services:Providing real healing interventions for mothers from wellness workshops to midwife-led care.
Brazil vs. USA – Led by Legendary Maternal Health Coaches
Team USA – Head Coach Jennie Joseph
USAA British-trained midwife and one of Time Magazine's Women of the Year, Jennie Joseph is a powerhouse in maternal health.
Team Brazil – Head Coach Dr. Heloísa Lessa
BRAA national hero in Brazil's childbirth movement, Dr. Heloísa Lessa is an award-winning midwife and founder of the Parto Ecológico birth center.
Timeline: From Mother’s Day Kickoff to World Cup Finale
Mark your calendars: The competition runs for 60 action-packed days, kicking off on Mother’s Day (May 2025) and climaxing at the FIFA Club World Cup Final in July 2025. Here’s how the timeline plays out:
- Mother’s Day, May 2025 – Kickoff:On this symbolic day honoring mothers, the World Cup of Healing officially launches. FC Mother will host launch events with clubs in Brazil and the U.S., introducing their local midwife “captains” and starting the story-sharing and support activities. It’s the opening ceremony where every mom is an MVP.
- May to July 2025 – The Competition Season:Throughout late spring and early summer, communities across both countries will compete and collaborate. Weekly “matches” might include community gatherings, healing workshops, and digital campaigns to collect mother stories. Fans will see leaderboards updated with metrics like the number of stories collected, assists completed, and healthy Life Years added to mothers and families – think sports standings, but for healing! The excitement builds as the FIFA Club World Cup inspire more people to join in and push their team’s score higher.
- July 2025 – Grand Finale in New York City: In the days leading up to the FIFA Club World Cup Final, all eyes turn to New York City. Both teams, along with supporters and partners, will come together for the World Cup of Healing Celebration Event, hosted in partnership with the World Football Summit. This is the equivalent of the championship match – except the “highlights” are moms whose lives have been transformed. The event will feature the premiere of FC Mother’s episode on the Amazon Prime show “The Futurist”. Stories of hope and healing will be shared on stage, and the final Life Years score will determine whether Team USA or Team Brazil claims the first World Cup of Healing title!
In the days leading up to the FIFA Club World Cup Final, all eyes turn to New York City. Both teams, along with supporters and partners, will come together for the World Cup of Healing Celebration Event, hosted in partnership with the World Football Summit. This is the equivalent of the championship match – except the “highlights” are moms whose lives have been transformed. The event will feature the premiere of FC Mother’s episode on the Amazon Prime show “The Futurist”. Stories of hope and healing will be shared on stage, and the final Life Years score will determine whether Team USA or Team Brazil claims the first World Cup of Healing title!
Our Partners
The World Cup of Healing is backed by a world-class coalition of experts and organizations.
In the Media: Global Spotlight on Our Mission
The world is taking notice of this bold initiative. The World Cup of Healing has already been making headlines and turning heads in both sports and global health circles. Check out some of our recent media features and resources to learn more and get inspired:
- WIRED Magazine:“Mother of all sports — A former football player’s journey to support maternal health” – A feature story in WIRED covers the origin of FC Mother and how football fandom can revolutionize maternal care. (WIRED shines a light on our founder’s vision and the birth of this movement.)Read the WIRED article
- World Football Summit Press Release:FC Mother Announces the 2025 World Cup of Healing (USA vs. Brazil) – The official WFS press release from March 2025 details the launch of this competition and the partnership between the football industry and maternal health leaders. Read the WFS announcement
- Explainer Video: “What is the World Cup of Healing?” – Sometimes seeing is believing. Watch our short explainer video to see how this competition works and why it’s poised to change the world. Watch the video
From tech journals to sports industry news, the message is clear: the World Cup of Healing is one of the most exciting and important events of 2025. We invite you to dive into these resources and share them – help spread the word that football is fighting for something bigger than a trophy.