Why do soccer players step onto the field with children?

One of professional soccer's most charming traditions involves players walking out onto the field hand-in-hand with young children. These miniature escorts are often dressed in team kits and get a chance to share the spotlight with renowned football stars during the pre-match rituals.

Everything you need to know about how it all began, where it stands now, and how your child can join the fun on the field.

The Early Days

While the exact origins of this tradition remain unclear, it's been around since at least the mid-1990s. A frequently referenced example comes from a match between Liverpool F.C. and Everton F.C. in November 1996: The Liverpool Echo published a photo of the referees standing alongside the team captains, each with a young player at their side. (Everton's 'mascot' in that match was none other than the future football legend Wayne Rooney, who was just 11 years old.) At the UEFA Euro 2000 Final between France and Italy, each player was escorted by a child.

As PopSugar notes, this tradition gained global momentum after the 2002 World Cup when FIFA and UNICEF teamed up for the 'Say Yes to Children' campaign, sending a child to walk alongside each player. A press release explained the initiative was designed as 'a symbolic action reminding football fans of their important role in creating a world fit for children.' The campaign also urged people to support children by adopting 10 guiding principles, including 'Ensure that no child is left out' and 'Fight poverty.'

The Reason We Continue This Tradition

These days, the reasons behind pairing children with players and the ways to get your child onto the field differ greatly depending on the club and the competition. McDonald's, a long-time sponsor of the World Cup, frequently organizes an international sweepstakes to choose player escorts, with the prize including an all-expenses-paid trip to the tournament.

"It’s meant to be as much a spectacle of being involved with the World Cup itself as it is for children to experience other kids and opportunities from around the world," said McDonald's former global marketing officer Dean Barrett in a 2014 interview with USA TODAY.

Sometimes, the tradition is used for charitable or humanitarian purposes. For example, in 2007, the New England Revolution auctioned off escort spots for a match against the Los Angeles Galaxy (during David Beckham's time with the team) to benefit the club's charitable foundation. On a few occasions in recent years, players have even walked out with dogs to promote pet adoption.

However, the intention is not always so focused. Generally, involving kids with the players helps clubs generate positive publicity, create a family-friendly atmosphere, and promote community engagement.

How to Secure a Spot

It’s also a lucrative opportunity. In 2014, The Guardian revealed that more than half of the Premier League clubs were charging hundreds of pounds for each escort spot. Many other clubs offer these spots for free, but that doesn’t necessarily make it easy to secure one.

Chelsea F.C., for example, selects 250 applicants each year to add to a waitlist, and it can take another four years or so before those children are assigned to a match. Prospective escorts must be between 0 and 8 years old when their application is submitted (or, more accurately, when an adult submits it on their behalf) to ensure they aren’t too old when their turn comes. However, the club is currently so overwhelmed with requests that they are not accepting new applications 'for the foreseeable future.'

In short, if you want your future child to join the starting lineup of your favorite team, you might want to start looking into the process sooner than you expected.