From June 11 to July 19, 2026, forty-eight nations will travel to Mexico, Canada, and the United States for the largest sporting event on the planet. Billions of people will tune in. For the family planning community, and for World Vasectomy Day – headquartered in the US with strong partners in Canada, and Mexico. The FIFA World Cup is not just a tournament, but a once every four year chance to bring global attention to the role men play, and the role we still need to play, in shaping healthier, more intentional families.
WVD has always been about teamwork. We grow by finding strategic allies who share our belief that men belong inside the family planning conversation, not at its margins. That is why we are proud to be working alongside both FP2030 and DKT International. FP2030 is the largest global partnership devoted to advancing voluntary, rights-based family planning. Since its founding in 2012, FP2030 has been propelled by a resolute determination to expand access worldwide — a mission that aligns naturally with ours. DKT, as well as our primary supporters for the past decade, is one of the largest distributors of family planning commodities with outlets in over 100 countries.
Football offers the perfect language for what we are trying to do. On the pitch, no striker scores without midfielders who pass, no goalkeeper succeeds without defenders who communicate, no team wins without players who read the field and move in coordination. Families succeed in exactly the same way. Communication, listening, anticipating your partner’s needs, and stepping up when the moment calls for it are the fundamentals of love…and the fundamentals of sport.
On June 17th, Dr. Samukeliso Dube, Executive Director of FP2030, Chris Purdy, President of DKT, International and Dr. Esgar Guarin, Chairman of the Board of WVD, will host a special webinar on men in family planning. It is an invitation to learn about FP2030 and DKT and to hear about the World Cup campaign while talking openly about the steps we can all take together to make a real leap forward.
On Friday, July 17th, on the eve of the Finals weekend, we are calling on vasectomy doctors around the world to perform procedures in celebration. WVD and FP2030 will host a mini global celebration to honor the men stepping forward and the partners standing beside them. A vasectomy is not the right choice for every man, but for many, it is one of the most powerful expressions of love a partner can offer.
In a world stretched thin by division, the World Cup reminds us what teamwork looks like: fair competition, shared humanity, and the belief that we thrive together. Family planning asks the same of us. Know the game. Understand your role. Read the field. Play as a team. Play your position — and help us build a more hopeful, more compassionate future.
