The LA Galaxy were recently named 2025 Community Impact Club of the Year by Major League Soccer, an honor voted on by all 29 MLS clubs and finalized by league executives. For the Galaxy, the recognition reflects years of sustained investment in youth access, inclusion, and community rooted programming rather than a single standout initiative, arriving at a moment when Los Angeles is preparing to welcome the world.
For President and Chief Operating Officer Tom Braun, the award is as much about the people behind the work as the work itself. Braun credits the club’s community and foundation team for setting the tone, pointing to a positive spirit that shows up consistently across programs and partnerships. “You can tell when people genuinely love what they do,” Braun said. “That energy carries through everything, and last year it really culminated in this recognition.”
At the heart of the Galaxy’s community strategy are three guiding pillars; youth sports, health and wellness, and inclusion. Braun describes the objective simply; creating safe spaces where kids can access soccer and feel they belong. That philosophy shaped the club’s rapid response to wildfires earlier this year, when the Galaxy and their partners moved quickly to mobilize support. Because of long standing relationships with more than 50 local organizations, the club was able to help deliver roughly $1 million in assistance through donated items collected from fans, coordinated service hours, and direct outreach to affected families. “Those relationships didn’t start when the fires started,” Braun said. “They were already there, which allowed us to move fast and make a meaningful impact when it mattered most.”
The Galaxy’s commitment to youth access is perhaps most visible through their mini pitch program, which places soccer fields directly into neighborhoods with personal meaning to the club. In South Central Los Angeles, a recent mini pitch installation took place at the elementary school once attended by a current Galaxy player, allowing him to return to his community and give back where his journey began. Beyond installing the field, the Galaxy helped establish an ongoing program at the school, providing equipment, organized play, and a pathway for students to engage with the sport. Later this year, the club plans to open another mini pitch in Altadena in partnership with CNB, extending the initiative into an area impacted by recent fires. “When a player can go back to the school they grew up in and give something back, it resonates differently,” Braun said. “It tells kids that this game, and this club, are for them.”
As Los Angeles prepares for the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Galaxy are positioning themselves as what Braun calls the local voice of a global event. Later this week, the club will officially announce the LA Galaxy Soccer Celebration, a free public watch party and fan experience series created in partnership with MLS and the host cities of Long Beach, Carson, and Hermosa Beach. The activation will span multiple stages of the tournament, beginning with group stage matches broadcast on a large video board along Pine Avenue in Long Beach, continuing through the Round of 16 at Galaxy Park in Carson, and culminating with semifinal and final match viewings on the sand in Hermosa Beach.
“This summer, Southern California will feel like the center of the soccer universe, and we want fans to have a home with the Galaxy for every moment,” Braun said. “By bringing this Soccer Celebration to Long Beach and Hermosa Beach, as well as broadcasting games at our home in Carson, we’re creating free, inclusive, high-energy environments where families, supporters, and even casual fans can come together and experience the drama of world soccer.”
Braun emphasizes that the strategy is about access as much as excitement. All watch parties will be free and intentionally distributed across multiple communities to ensure broad participation and representation. While operational realities will limit large scale stadium activations during the tournament, as Dignity Health Sports Park is expected to be heavily utilized and likely serve as a training hub, Braun views that role as further evidence of the venue’s importance within the global soccer ecosystem.
Beyond fan engagement, the Galaxy see the World Cup as a significant opportunity to strengthen local economies and deepen community ties. Braun notes that the club is focused on ensuring small businesses benefit from the influx of visitors and attention, using the Galaxy platform to spotlight neighborhood corridors during major sporting moments. That approach will extend into the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, when Dignity Health Sports Park is set to host multiple events, bringing sustained international attention to the region.
At the same time, the Galaxy are intentionally anchoring this next chapter in their own history. In early April, the club will host Landon Donovan Weekend, featuring a series of activations and a season ticket member Q and A tied to Donovan’s new autobiography and reflections on mental health. Later in the month, a nine-foot bronze statue honoring Cobi Jones will be unveiled at the stadium. “No one has had a bigger impact on this club and this sport over such a long period of time,” Braun said of Jones. “Honoring that legacy matters as we build what’s next.”
Looking ahead, Braun believes soccer in the United States is entering a rare moment of convergence. Major League Soccer itself was born out of the 1994 World Cup, and with the world’s biggest sporting events returning to American soil, the runway for growth has never been stronger. A league wide schedule shift beginning in the 2027–28 season, aligning MLS with the European calendar, is expected to further accelerate that momentum by improving competitiveness and attracting international talent.
“For us, whether it’s the World Cup or the Olympics, the opportunity is the same,” Braun said. “Use these moments to deepen youth development, support small businesses, and make sure the benefits reach the communities that have supported the sport all along.”