Sports Visitors are international non-elite youth athletes (15 years old and above) and coaches and administrators (23 years old and above) who travel to the United States for a fast-paced short-term sports cultural exchange. During the program, they engage with American peers and sports practitioners, participate in clinics, and sessions on leadership, team-building and conflict resolution, as well as on inclusion and equity in sport. Sports Visitor programs show young people how participation in athletics can translate into achievements in the classroom and life. They also provide Americans with an opportunity to interact firsthand with people from every region of the world.
Participants are selected locally, so please contact the Public Affairs Section of your U.S. embassy or consulate overseas for information on the U.S. Department of State’s sports efforts in your country.
Each Sports Visitor Program is initiated by the U.S. embassies and consulates so please contact the Public Affairs Section at your local U.S. embassy or consulate if you are interested in participating in the Sports Visitor Program from your home country.
Due to limited resources outside of planned programs we are not able to send equipment donations. In some cases, your U.S. embassy or consulate, private organizations, or sports federations may be able to help.
The State Department Sports Diplomacy Division receives funding from Congress that is specifically designated for implementing four different two-way international sports-based exchanges. For more information on those four programs please visit our About page. All of these programs are implemented through a grant awarded to a U.S.-based implementing partner. For more information on open Notice of Funding Opportunities (NOFO), please visit Grants.gov and search the keyword “sports”. The Sports Diplomacy Division does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding.