Girls Wanna Play: How a Latino Soccer Club in LA Fights Despite Recent Threats

Girls Wanna Play: How a Latino Soccer Club in LA Fights Despite Recent Threats

Author: My Cultura, Futuro and iHeartPodcasts August 8, 2025 Duration: 28:09

Professional men’s soccer or “futbol” has always had great Latino players, but only 7% of female professional soccer players are Latinas. That’s not how things look at the Downtown LA Soccer Club. Most of the girls playing for this non-profit are Latinas and that’s intentional. The club is trying to overcome the barriers young Latinas often face: like financial burdens and gender stereotypes. In this episode, we meet their star player and her coach, as they fight for their club to remain a safe space. Their rent is up nearly four times, and some of the club’s families have been affected by the increase in ICE raids.

Latino USA is the longest-running news and culture radio program in the U.S., centering Latino stories and hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa.

Follow the show to get every episode. 

Follow us on TikTok and YouTube. Subscribe to our newsletter. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.


For decades, Latino USA has offered a vital and nuanced soundscape, chronicling the multifaceted lives of Latino communities across the United States and beyond. Guided by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Maria Hinojosa, this Peabody Award-winning program digs deep, moving beyond headlines to share intimate narratives and investigative reports that reveal the cultural, political, and social currents shaping our world. As the longest-running radio show of its kind, it has built a legacy of trust and depth, exploring everything from personal identity and family legacy to immigration policy and artistic innovation. Each episode feels like a necessary conversation, one that illuminates the hearts and minds of a dynamic population whose stories are often filtered through someone else's lens. Here, those stories are told with authenticity and care. Produced by My Cultura, Futuro and iHeartPodcasts, this podcast is an essential listen for anyone seeking to understand the complex tapestry of contemporary society. The weekly installments are more than just reporting; they are documentary pieces that capture the ongoing impact of Latino voices. For those who wish to engage further, the Futuro+ membership offers additional content and behind-the-scenes perspectives, supporting the independent journalism at the core of this essential program.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Latino USA
Podcast Episodes
Culture Is Freedom: Remembering Garifuna Legend Aurelio Martínez [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:36
Last year in March, Honduran composer and singer artist Aurelio Martinez died in a tragic plane crash. Aurelio was the voice of the Garifuna people and a fierce defender of their music and culture. Almost two decades ago…
La Brega: Who Are Our Puerto Rican Champions? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:09
It was January 24, 2022. The King of Spain was coming to Puerto Rico. But everyone woke up to unexpected news: the statue of the Spanish conquistador Juan Ponce de León in Old San Juan had been toppled. When the mayor pr…
One Year After the LA Fires: Recovery, Toxic Soil, and Scams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:12
“Our government has failed us in many ways.” A year has passed since the fires in Los Angeles devastated Altadena, CA. Who gets to rebuild? Who stays and who leaves? We begin by checking back in with Sal Saucedo, a haird…
Mirta Ojito on Memory, Migration and the Stories the Ocean Keeps [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:55
“Suddenly, a memory assaulted me: For my own journey from Cuba four decades earlier, I had worn the red polyester bell-bottom pants my mother had made.” Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Mirta Ojito joins us to talk abou…