Twenty years ago, the idea of helping a young child who had to leave their home country due to war, poverty or ethnic, tribal or religious violence was not controversial. 

“It’s a basic human thing,” Ben Gucciardi notes.

In 2026, immigration — who gets to come to, and stay in, the United States — has become a political minefield. 

Gucciardi stays out of political minefields. But his work on another field — the soccer pitch — has defined the past two decades. The San Francisco native and former Lehigh University player (where he studied global education leadership) is the founding director of Soccer Without Borders. 

The non-profit launched in Oakland uses the sport as a vehicle for positive change. It provides underserved youth in four American locations (the San Francisco Bay  Area, Colorado, Maryland and Massachusetts), plus Nicaragua and Uganda, with the athletic, academic and emotional resources to grow, achieve and prosper.

Since its founding, SWB has impacted over 60,000 young people from 122 countries, speaking 112 languages. Their high school graduation rate is 95 percent. They’ve been honored by FIFA, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and more. 

On May 2, Soccer Without Borders celebrates its 20th anniversary, with a gala at the Oakland Roots and Soul training facility. It’s a time for Gucciardi to look back — and forward.

Before Gucciardi was a teenager, his soccer coach took Gucciardi’s team to Mexico. The high level of play, facilities and soccer’s importance in the community made an impact on the youngster. As he developed into an ODP and college player, he understood even better the power of soccer to change lives. 

While a student teaching English learners, Gucciardi realized that although not everyone wanted to be in a classroom, they all loved soccer. But the field was much more than a place to play. It was where they found respect and mutual understanding, and where they could talk about things they otherwise would not.

Gucciardi vowed to find a way outside of school to teach, and reach, those youngsters.

Back in California, his partner Lauren Markham (now his wife) was working in refugee resettlement.

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