The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced its intention to send a soccer ball to the moon in the event that the United States national team wins the FIFA World Cup. The announcement was reported by USA Today.

According to USA Today, NASA made the pledge as part of a promotional initiative connecting the upcoming FIFA World Cup with the agency’s ongoing lunar exploration programmes. The precise logistical details regarding the method and timeline by which the soccer ball would be transported to the lunar surface were not specified in the available source material.

The announcement links two distinct areas of national ambition: competitive performance in international football and the United States’ planned return to the lunar surface under the Artemis programme. The initiative appears intended to generate broader public interest in NASA’s crewed lunar missions.

A representative of NASA could not be reached for comment regarding the specific conditions and operational details of the announced pledge.

The United States, together with Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to co-host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This context lends particular significance to NASA’s announcement, as the host nation’s automatic qualification places the United States national team among the confirmed participants in the tournament.