Gisele Thompson and Verizon surprise fan with 2026 World Cup tickets

LOS ANGELES– Angel City FC star Gisele Thompson and Verizon have teamed up to surprise 20 fans with free tickets to 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup matches around the country. Southern California native Jacob Lauderdale is one of the lucky winners. 

When Lauderdale opened his Verizon app and saw a countdown to talk to professional soccer players, he didn’t believe it. He logged in to his access page and immediately saw an email confirming he had won a five-minute video call with Thompson, during which he asked questions about playing for Angel City and her experiences sharing the pitch with her sister Alyssa. 

Then, Thompson surprised him with another announcement. He was going to the World Cup. 

Lauderdale won two tickets and plans to take his younger brother Owen, who introduced him to soccer, to experience the game from the best seats. The brothers played together in the American Youth Soccer Organization before transitioning to club soccer. 

 “He was the left wing. I was a right-winger. So we just played off of each other, and it was a really cool experience. Now getting to share this with my brother is, like, a whole other level of insanity,” said Lauderdale. 

A longtime fan and youth player, he found that soccer expanded his world. He had grown up attending Los Angeles Galaxy FC matches and rooting for the Premier League’s Manchester United. 

“Growing up, I’ve been a very introverted person. I grew up learning how to code and play with computers, and soccer was the one thing that kind of took me out of that and allowed me to really find family, friends, a passion for sport, and really helped me be a social person,” Lauderdale told The Sporting Tribune.

Verizon is the Official Telecommunication Services Sponsor for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in the USA and Canada. Throughout the lead-up to the World Cup, Verizon is offering exclusive customer ticket access and providing fan experiences. 

Thompson is one of the Verizon-partnered athletes involved in the campaign. Fans can also receive calls with Alyssa Thompson, Tim Howard, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano, Sergio “Kun” Agüero and more.  

“I loved the surprise element of these video calls – it felt like I was sharing a secret directly with the fans. Delivering a ‘Golden Ticket’ to someone in their own home, whether they’re in LA or heading to a match in Atlanta, makes the whole experience feel so personal. Hearing their questions about my career and seeing their passion for the sport reminds me why we play. This partnership with Verizon makes the connection personal, and it was an honor to be the one to deliver that life-changing news," said Thompson. 

The once-in-a-lifetime experience gives Lauderdale the chance to cheer from the front row and be pitch-side for part of the game. “I am so excited to get to see those little nuanced things that you may not get to see from the nosebleeds or, you know, even the closest tickets you could possibly get. I mean, I’m gonna really be listening for those callouts from the coach to the players, and then getting to hear the little banter of the players on the field,” said Lauderdale. 

“I’m gonna take every second of that game in fully.” 

Lauderdale and his brother will attend the U.S. Men’s National Team’s opening match against Paraguay on June 12 at Sofi Stadium.