Reaching Fans Where They Gather
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has launched a bold safe‑sex campaign that ties condom use to the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, installing soccer‑themed billboards in six U.S. cities that will host matches.
Each billboard wraps a soccer ball pattern around a condom and carries the slogan “score safely,” a playful yet urgent reminder aimed at the influx of fans expected during the tournament.
Health officials have noted higher rates of sexually transmitted infections at large gatherings and summer events, making the campaign’s timing especially relevant.
In South Florida, two billboards have been placed in Miami and one in North Miami, while similar installations appear in Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle, extending the message nationwide.
Imara Canady, AHF’s national director of community engagement and communications, said the effort is designed to meet people where they gather — whether at stadiums, bars or community centers — during the global sporting event.
AHF is also providing free condoms at its network of health centers, wellness centers, pharmacies and its Out of the Closet thrift stores, and offering complimentary STI and HIV testing at wellness centers in 15 states.
The organization notes that FIFA reported roughly 5 billion people engaged with the 2022 World Cup and about 1.5 billion watched the final between Argentina and France, underscoring the massive audience that could be impacted.
Matches in the Miami area are scheduled to begin on Monday, with all seven South Florida games set to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, a venue that will serve as a focal point for the public‑health outreach.
By combining eye‑catching advertising with accessible testing and prevention resources, AHF hopes to reduce new infections and promote safer practices while the world watches the tournament unfold.