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Until the World Stamp Show:

49
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Hours
38
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39
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The Postal Store®

North American Soccer

First Day of Issue Date: May 28, 2026

First Day of Issue Location: Boston, MA

About This Stamp

The U.S. is home to tens of millions of soccer fans, and its popularity is only expected to grow. Soccer has become especially popular with younger Americans, with millions playing at the youth level and more than 800,000 participating in high school. Excitement is high as players and fans await the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

With the United States as a co-host, the FIFA World Cup could again reshape the future of soccer in the country. The tournament kicks off in Mexico on June 11 and concludes with the final in New Jersey on July 19. The United States will host 78 FIFA World Cup matches in 11 different locations: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, and Seattle.

Art director Antonio Alcalá is no stranger to the sport, having watched his daughter play from the age of four until college. He still watches the sport and attends DC United and Washington Spirit games. He also worked on the 2023 Women’s Soccer stamp.

Alcalá says there was a long process to get to the final design. He began by looking at all the soccer stamps from around the world that he could find and sorting them by their similarities. He then looked at stock photography to see what images would appeal the most and settled on the player striking the ball in mid-air.

The famous “gooooooooal” call was started by announcers in Latin America before being popularized by Andrés Cantor during the 1990 World Cup. The call is now heard around the world, from kids on the playgrounds to the FIFA World Cup Final.

The FIFA World Cup is the biggest stage in the world, and representing their country is often cited as the highlight of players’ careers. With the United States hosting, the popularity of the sport is expected to flourish throughout the country.

Stamp Art Director, Stamp Designer

Antonio Alcalá

Antonio Alcalá served on the Postmaster General’s Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee from 2010 until 2011, when he left to become an art director for the U.S. Postal Service's stamp development program.

He is founder and co-owner of Studio A, a design practice working with museums and arts institutions. His clients include: the National Gallery of Art, Library of Congress, National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of Women in the Arts, The Phillips Collection, and Smithsonian Institution. He also lectures at colleges including the Corcoran College of Art + Design, SVA, Pratt, and MICA.

In 2008, his work and contributions to the field of graphic design were recognized with his selection as an AIGA Fellow. He has judged international competitions for the Society of Illustrators, American Illustration, AIGA, and Graphis. Alcalá also serves on the Smithsonian National Postal Museum and Poster House Museum’s advisory councils. His designs are represented in the AIGA Design Archives, the National Postal Museum, and the Library of Congress Permanent Collection of Graphic Design.

Alcalá graduated from Yale University with a BA in history and from the Yale School of Art with an MFA in graphic design. He lives with his wife in Alexandria, Virginia.

First Day of Issue Ceremony

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