NASA promises to send a soccer ball to the moon if US wins the World Cup

"If the United States wins the World Cup, we'll send a soccer ball to the moon. Good luck."

NASA made the pledge as it cheered on the US men's national soccer team at the 2026 North America World Cup, AFP reported Monday.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman made the promise at an event outlining plans to build a lunar base. "The challenge for Team USA is to win the World Cup," he told the players. "Complete the mission."

Isaacman recalled how Alan Shepard, the first American astronaut, hit several golf shots on the moon in 1971, and promised to one-up that feat. "If Team USA wins, we'll send a soccer ball to the moon," he said.

Shepard made history by bringing a golf club and ball on the Apollo 14 mission and teeing off on the lunar surface before departing. "We're going to go beyond Alan Shepard and send a soccer ball to the moon," Isaacman said. "I hope that's a small bit of motivation for Team USA."

Carlos Garcia Galan, NASA's lunar base program director, added that if the US wins the World Cup, he would "absolutely make room" for a soccer ball aboard a spacecraft.

The United States is co-hosting this year's tournament alongside Mexico and Canada. Having topped their group in the group stage, the US team faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in the round of 32 on Thursday.