The Baton Rouge Red Stick Unification men’s Cup World Cup-style soccer tournament presented by the Major’s International Relations Committee and powered by LORI is aimed at celebrating our diversity through the sport of soccer. It is also an opportunity to engage with the broader BR communities. Relatedly, the Red Stick Unification Cup aims to bring our various communities together while also amplifying our various voices and uniting us through the love of soccer and promoting inclusivity and healthy competition.

This tournament is slated to start March 22, 2024, and run for a month and a half. The opening night will include parades of nations where families, local leaders, and businesses are welcome. The games will be played on Friday nights and Saturdays for the entire duration of the tournament. The tournament will be open and free of charge to the public. Additionally, local nonprofit organizations and partners will be encouraged to set up resource tables at games. The 16-nation tournament will aim at celebrating the diverse immigrants and refugee community in the city of Baton Rouge. Games will be played at various locations throughout the city of Baton Rouge in collaboration with our partners.

Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination. – Nelson Mandela