Lex Chalat

Lex Chalat is Executive Director of the Soccer Forward Foundation, U.S. Soccer’s legacy and social impact arm, where she leads initiatives including Soccer at Schools to expand youth access to soccer across the United States. She previously held leadership roles at Qatar Foundation and Beyond Sport, focusing on sports-based social impact, legacy, partnerships, and community engagement.

U.S. Soccer Plans School-Based Push to Close Youth Access Gaps

Project Play’s national roundtable members argued that raising youth sports participation to 63% by 2030 will require schools and after-school programs to become a larger delivery system, not simply more club recruitment. Lex Chalat of U.S. Soccer’s Soccer Forward Foundation positioned Soccer at Schools as a legacy strategy tied to the 2026 World Cup, LA28 and the Women’s World Cup, while Bank of America’s Cindy Nguyen Thomas and Massachusetts Youth Soccer’s Rob Holliday described corporate, state and local roles in turning national attention into affordable access.

The Aspen InstituteMay 21, 20268 min read