Drivers navigating Miami’s busy streets are doing a double-take this week, courtesy of a massive public health blitz timed to coincide with the FIFA World Cup.
Capitalizing on the large crowds flooding Miami to watch soccer, the AIDS Healthcare Foundation has rolled out safe-sex billboards with giant soccer-themed condoms.
By blending the high-stakes thrill of a game-winning goal with a plea to wrap things up, health advocates are using the world’s biggest sporting event to tackle a real-world issue: normalizing condom use.
The “GOOOOOOOOOAL!” billboard campaign features imagery of the iconic black-and-white hexagonal skin of a soccer ball stretched lengthwise across a condom with AHF’s “useacondom.com” URL underneath.
The campaign, intended to remind people to “score safely,” is running in six cities nationwide where FIFA events will take place: Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia and Seattle. Two are in the city of Miami and one is in North Miami.
“As a public health organization, it’s our responsibility to broaden community knowledge, especially knowing statistically during summer months and large outdoor events we see an increase in sexually transmitted disease rates,” said Imara Canady, national director of community engagement & communications for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation.
“We also understand that people aren’t always aware where access to free prevention tools like condoms are,” Canady said. “It’s a fun way that ties into that, while the world is coming to cities like Miami. The billboards are a reminder that you still need to protect yourself, especially with what the statistics show.”
According to FIFA, roughly 5 billion people engaged with the FIFA World Cup 2022 and an estimated 1.5 billion tuned in to the final between Argentina and France. The FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in the Miami area begin on Monday. All seven games in South Florida will be held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
AHF offers free condoms at almost all of its facilities nationwide, including its 79 Healthcare Centers, 50 Wellness Centers, 67 Pharmacies, and 26 Out of the Closet thrift stores. It also offers free sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV testing at 50 Wellness Centers across 15 states.
South Florida Sun Sentinel health reporter Cindy Goodman can be reached at cgoodman@sunsentinel.com.
Health assistance
South Florida has numerous locations to get free condoms, test or treat for a sexually transmitted infection:
Broward County:
- AHF Wellness Center, 750 SE Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale.
- Out of the Closet thrift store, 2097 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors.
- Out of the Closet thrift store, 1785 E. Sunrise Blvd., Fort Lauderdale.
- Pride Center, 2038 N. Dixie Highway, Wilton Manors
Miami-Dade:
- AHF Wellness Center, 1613 Alton Road, Miami Beach.
- AHF Healthcare Center, 2826 NE Eighth St., Homestead.
- Out of the Closet thrift store, 2400 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.
- AHF Wellness Center Biscayne, 2400 Biscayne Blvd., Miami.
- AHF Wellness Center, 100 NW 170th St., North Miami Beach.