The administrator of NASA has said the agency could send an official football and a signed United States men's national team jersey to the Moon if the US wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Jared Isaacman made the pledge during a livestreamed briefing on June 30 outlining NASA's Moon Base and Artemis plans. He repeated the commitment in a post on X the following day, describing a potential World Cup victory as another example of Americans achieving what once appeared unlikely.

While reposting a post from the U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (USMNT), Isaacman compared the prospect of a US World Cup triumph with the country's achievements in space exploration, citing the Moon landing as an example of overcoming seemingly impossible challenges. Isaacman wrote, “So, when you guys defy the odds, we’ll send the FIFA World Cup ball and one of your jerseys with the signatures of the USMNT to the Moon.”

The remarks came shortly before the United States men's national football team advanced to the knockout stage of the tournament for the first time in 24 years. The team defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 on July 1 to secure its first World Cup knockout victory since 2002.

The United States is scheduled to face Belgium in Seattle on July 7 at 6 AM, Bangladesh Time. 

A FIFA World Cup football has already travelled into space. In September 2025, one was delivered to the International Space Station (ISS).