NWSL owners Michele Kang, John Neace invest in new fair-trade soccer cleat

As the global soccer industry races toward a men’s World Cup in North America this summer and a Women’s World Cup in Brazil in 2027, independent soccer brand Senda Athletics is betting there is room in the market for an underdog. The fair-trade soccer company announced this week it has raised $1.5 million in seed funding as it prepares to launch what it says are the world’s first Fair Trade Certified soccer cleats, adding another challenger to a crowded global footwear market dominated by giants