HR 444 — A Resolution designating September 18, 2026, as "Fútbol Day" in Pennsylvania.

PRINTER'S NO.   3018

                  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



           HOUSE RESOLUTION
              No. 444
                                               Session of
                                                 2026

     INTRODUCED BY MADSEN, DAVIDSON, HOHENSTEIN, HILL-EVANS, SANCHEZ,
        FREEMAN, NEILSON, COOPER, FLEMING, PASHINSKI, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ
        AND MEHAFFIE, MARCH 17, 2026

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM, RECREATION AND ECONOMIC
        DEVELOPMENT, MARCH 18, 2026


                               A RESOLUTION
 1   Designating September 18, 2026, as "Fútbol Day" in Pennsylvania.
 2      WHEREAS, Fútbol, also known as soccer, is the most popular
 3   sport in the world with more than 3.5 billion fans; and
 4      WHEREAS, The sport as we know it today has its roots in late
 5   19th century Britain during the period of industrialization and
 6   urbanization, where industrial workers, who often had Saturday
 7   afternoons off work, played in and spectated games organized by
 8   churches, trade unions and schools; and
 9      WHEREAS, Once fútbol spread to the rest of Europe, the
10   Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) was
11   founded in Paris in 1904 to serve as the governing body of
12   fútbol, and today consists of 205 member associations, 300,000
13   clubs and more than 240 million registered players; and
14      WHEREAS, Fútbol is a unique sport that unites people all
15   around the world, crossing origins, social classes and gender,
16   and even stimulating economic development where it is played;
 1   and
 2         WHEREAS, Christian Pulisic, born in Hershey on September 18,
 3   1998, is known internationally as one of the greatest fútbol
 4   players from the United States; and
 5         WHEREAS, Growing up in Hershey, Mr. Pulisic went to
 6   Hersheypark every summer and developed his love for fútbol with
 7   the encouragement of his parents, Kelley and Mark Pulisic, who
 8   he credits with instilling in him at a young age the confidence
 9   he has today; and
10         WHEREAS, At age 10, Mr. Pulisic joined the Pennsylvania
11   Classics AC youth soccer club in Lancaster County where he
12   developed his fútbol skill for seven years; and
13         WHEREAS, Mr. Pulisic's professional fútbol career began in
14   2015 at 17 years of age when he signed to Borussia Dortmund
15   where he played until 2019; and
16         WHEREAS, Mr. Pulisic then moved to Chelsea F.C. until 2023
17   helping his team win multiple tournaments, including the 2021
18   FIFA Club World Cup; and
19         WHEREAS, At present, Mr. Pulisic plays for AC Milan where he
20   led his team to victory in the 2024 Italian Super Cup; and
21         WHEREAS, At the age of 20 years and 63 days, Mr. Pulisic
22   became the youngest player to captain the United States Men's
23   National Team, where he is affectionately nicknamed "Captain
24   America"; and
25         WHEREAS, Mr. Pulisic continues to play as a forward in the
26   starting lineup of the United States Men's National Team,
27   boasting a record of 82 appearances and 32 goals, and winning
28   the United States Soccer Male Player of the Year award four
29   times; and
30         WHEREAS, The 2026 FIFA World Cup, in which Mr. Pulisic is

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 1   expected to play, will be jointly co-hosted by Canada, Mexico
 2   and the United States in the summer of 2026, with six matches
 3   scheduled to be played in Philadelphia; and
 4      WHEREAS, The FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting
 5   event in the world, uniting people from all walks of life and
 6   parts of the world; and
 7      WHEREAS, It is an honor for this Commonwealth to be the
 8   birthplace of one of the nation's best fútbol players and the
 9   host of six 2026 FIFA World Cup games; therefore be it
10      RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate
11   September 18, 2026, as "Fútbol Day" in Pennsylvania.




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