Professional sports come to Kean; Is FIFA World Cup next?

By Ruben Nieves | Published by December 5, 2021

This fall semester, professional sports teams as well as sports organizations have visited Kean University but it may not be the only time professional sports are on campus. The university is being considered as a training site for the World Cup if New York and New Jersey are chosen as host cities for the 2026 tournament.

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FIFA World Cup officials toured Kean’s soccer field and the athletic facilities in the early months of the semester.

FIFA officials have been in talks with Kean about this possibility, but due to the pandemic, the discussions did not go further until. Athletic Director Kelly Williams received the call from officials to see if there still was a level of interest.

“I said yes,” Williams said. “I think it will be a great opportunity for our university and our athletic department to be exposed to a world-class experience.”

While touring the campus, FIFA officials were able to visit the training facilities and Williams said they were impressed.

“For a Division Three program everyone falls in love with our athletic facilities,” Williams said. “They were in total awe and excited about Kean as a possible location.”

Williams is confident Kean will be chosen as the training site if New York and New Jersey is chosen as the host cities.

“If New York and New Jersey get selected, I’m extremely confident,” said Williams. “I think we put our best foot forward and we checked the box in so many of the areas that they were looking for.”

In October, before the NBA regular season started, the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks and the Minnesota Timberwolves each held a practice at the Jacqueline Towns Court located at Kean’s East Campus. Thanks to NBA superstar Karl-Anthony Towns, who has worked out at the East Campus, as well as the newly upgraded training facilities, the Bucks and Timberwolves were able to visit and train.

“President Repollet made it a priority for us to upgrade our facilities for our students and our student-athletes,” Williams said. “There was a buzz about coming back to campus and individuals from a professional point of view that Kean has up to date facilities.”

Williams was excited to have the Bucks on campus and excited to see how a professional organization works.

“It was exciting to have the world champions here and also to see how a professional organization works,” Williams said. “That was a great experience to be a part of.”

Players from the Bucks when they first arrived at the facility, it quickly reminded them of their early days of working out.

“The first thing the Milwaukee Bucks said when they first walked in was wow, it takes us back to our roots,” Williams said. “It made them feel as if they were back to where they grew up and it had a sense of the atmosphere of hard work, sweat, and determination that got them to that spot.”

After having two NBA teams on practice, Williams believes that there is a chance more NBA teams will come to practice at Kean.

“I think so, I really do,” Williams said. “Sometimes the best marketing is the word to mouth and at the end of the day from the facilities point of view that we know it is an NBA practice workout location that is comfortable and safe.”

With the FIFA officials and two of the NBA teams visiting Kean, Williams thinks it shows what the university is all about.

“It gives individuals light to the hidden gem of what Kean University’s facilities and what the university is really about,” Williams said. “It gives us an opportunity to continue our climb in being recognized around the country.”

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