New Orleans Cup: Celebrating New Orleans’ Fútbol Culture

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Merlin Hernandez is the founder of the New Orleans Cup. New Orleans Cup began six years ago in 2019, after Merlin noticed organized soccer clubs in cities around the United States. He wanted New Orleans to have an organization of its own. He started with 12 teams, and now, there are over a hundred as part of the New Orleans Cup.

“I’ve been watching soccer since I was a baby, since I was 5 to 6 years old. My mom would ask, why I wasn’t finding something else to do. When you love something, you love it! Soccer is the number one sport in the world. It’s a passion. This is my favorite sport. I’ve been making so many friends, and they come from everywhere… people from Texas, Mississippi Alabama and Florida fly in from everywhere. We bring players from Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Honduras. It’s like a soccer festival and I’m feeling amazing because when you are doing something good, people tell you congratulations,” explains Hernandez.

Sometimes, athletes from around the world attend the matches, as a way for local soccer fans to encounter their heroes.

Next year, New Orleans Soccer Cup will celebrate seven years at Lafreniere Park. Part of the festivities include a chance for people to win over $150,000 in prizes. The organization also donates to the community.

After all these years, Hernandez remembers a touching moment where he reflected on how far his dream of soccer in New Orleans has come, saying, “I went onto the field and started to cry. I got the feeling that everybody loved me. I want to be the best. I want to be the number one because it’s what we are working for and it’s why we are sacrificing for.”

To learn more about the New Orleans Cup, visit its Facebook page.

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