Block by Block Ambassadors Help Welcome the World
Ambassadors help showcase the best of host cities during 39-day tournament
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 17, 2026) – Over the last few weeks, Block by Block Ambassadors across the country have rolled out the red carpet for soccer – eh football – fans from across the country and around the globe.
As the United States co-hosted the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Canada and Mexico, Block by Block played a key role in supporting tourism and hospitality in several U.S. cities.
It’s no surprise that the cities best equipped to host a major event like the World Cup were already working with Block by Block to manage local programs that create a clean, welcoming atmosphere for tourists.
Louisville-based Block by Block operates more than 200 unique programs nationwide, providing cleaning, safety, hospitality, outreach and specialized urban place management services.
Block by Block has Ambassador programs in 10 of the 11 U.S. cities that hosted matches. Those include Atlanta, Arlington (TX), Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.
“Hosting the World Cup has been a dream come true for our teams, allowing us to show how much we care about the cities we serve and how much we are willing to lean into new experiences with our partners,” said Derreck Hughes, Executive Vice President of Block by Block. “Whether it’s annual events like NCAA Tournament games or Super Bowls in cities we support, our teams are always prepared, nimble and enthusiastic about helping our partners welcome guests.”
For the World Cup events, Block by Block boosted staffing in markets where it was needed and even showcased special kits – a soccer term for uniforms – in markets where Ambassadors played a leading role in creating clean, safe, and welcoming environments for fans.
Carin Cardone, Division Vice President for Block by Block, said employees throughout the company worked for more than a year to prepare. She noted significant impacts from the World Cup in and around New York City and Boston.
Estimates are widespread but indicate more than 1 million international visitors came to the U.S. for World Cup matches and millions more Americans traveled to cities hosting World Cup matches.
Local media reported hundreds of thousands of World Cup travelers to Boston, where Block by Block manages Ambassador Programs for the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, the Downtown Boston Alliance, Seaport District and Rose Kennedy Greenway Conservancy.
The host committee for the New York/New Jersey’s World Cup matches estimated more than 1.2 visitors to the city, including international and U.S. travelers. Block by Block manages a team of more than 350 for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey who provide hospitality, wayfinding and customer care support at four major airports in the area.
Cardone said the World Cup work in Boston and New York/New Jersey shows how Block by Block teams can adapt quickly to address the complexities of surges in visitors while still delivering a welcoming experience.
“From our Airport Customer Experience Specialists supporting travelers in major terminals to Transit Ambassadors helping fans navigate stations and Clean and Hospitality Ambassadors supporting local activations, our teams understood the moment and rose to meet it,” she said. “Their work made it easier for visitors to move through unfamiliar places, connect with the host cities and enjoy the experience.”
Block by Block also supported local visitor campaigns and activations in several other markets. In Arlington, for instance, Ambassadors worked with their client Downtown Arlington Management Corp. to run Kick It Downtown. The campaign promoted watch parties, featured local restaurants and vendors and promoted visitor opportunities at popular locations such as its Rotary DREAM Park.
Block by Block Ambassadors across the city wore bright yellow uniforms fashioned after soccer jerseys. In nearby Fort Worth, Ambassadors serving the city’s Near West Side Safety Program also donned jerseys representing their districts, while Ambassadors in Downtown Houston did the same to create a personalized hospitality experience for visitors.
Nationwide, more than 1,200 Block by Block team members supported World Cup operations – about 40 percent of the company’s total workforce.
“Our teams really stepped up to bring creativity and enthusiasm to our work,” Hughes said. “In some cases, I think they had as much fun as the fans.”
Hughes, who was recently promoted and oversees Block by Block’s strategies and operations across the country, added that the experience of supporting a major national event like this one creates a template for others to come.
“The 2028 Summer Olympics are right around the corner, and our Ambassador Teams are already thinking of ways we can help create memorable experiences for visitors,” he said. “The eyes of the world will again be on our cities. Our role will be to help our local partners generate excitement and be part of the welcoming committee for visitors so they leave with a positive perception of L.A. Ultimately, our job is to make sure they want to come back!”
About Block by Block
Block by Block has a robust history working in downtowns since their first program launched in Louisville, Ky., in 1995. More than strictly a clean and safe service provider, Block by Block has developed an optimized operating model built on best practices, research, development and modern technology that has attracted partners in more than 200 locations nationwide, including improvement districts, parks, college campuses, transit systems and other public spaces.
