How We Pulled It Off: Surprising the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026
Over 24 emotion-packed hours in November — from California to North Carolina, and from Florida to Minnesota — some of the largest figures in American soccer pulled off some of the sport’s most meaningful moments.
In six different cities and three different time zones, a series of surprises ushered in the newest members of the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Teammates, coaches, and family members conspired to create memories that will last a lifetime for the Class of 2026.
“It’s the hardest thing we do,” said Djorn Buchholz, executive director of the Hall of Fame. “There’s a blueprint for the induction ceremony. There’s no blueprint for this. Every year, we create it from scratch.”
This year’s inductees will celebrate once more at their induction ceremony May 1 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas.
John Wondolowski lured his son Chris — the leading goalscorer in Major League Soccer history — to his home in Danville, Calif., under the pretense of recording a video message for Chris’ stepmother.
Soon after arriving, Chris’ family delivered the news of his election to the Hall of Fame — with the hugs and the tears caught on camera.
“I’ve watched him play soccer since he was 5 or 6 years old,” John told the video crew. “That’s not easy as a dad, but the most difficult thing I’ve had to do is to orchestrate tonight.”
Down the coast in Los Angeles, Tobin Heath and Christen Press, Heath’s wife and former teammate, were recording their podcast, The Re-CAP Show, when Press read a question from a listener.
“Cindy from New Jersey asks,” Press began.
“Is that my mom?” Heath replied.
“How does it feel to be inducted into the Hall of Fame on your first year of eligibility?” Press continued as Heath’s mother entered the studio to complete the wholesome reveal.
Press’ expressions of joy at pulling off the surprise rivaled her happiest celebrations on pitch.
What makes the surprises so special is also what makes them difficult to pull off. These aren’t staged in one place. They happen all over the country, often at the same time, with multiple teams working in sync.
“Trying to pull this off on a single day in five or six locations across the country is incredibly challenging,” Buchholz said.
It means relying on people who understand what the moment represents — and who are willing to play their part without tipping their hand.
Sometimes that’s a colleague. Sometimes it’s family. And sometimes, it’s someone who’s already been through it.
In Chapel Hill, N.C., Hall of Fame coach Anson Dorrance (2008) lured Heather O’Reilly to tour the facilities at the University of North Carolina, where he coached her to two NCAA titles. Waiting in the locker room to celebrate the news were U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone (2018) and O’Reilly’s family.
In St. Paul, Minn., Hall of Famer Brian McBride (2014) delivered the news to his former teammate Tony Sanneh at a meeting of The Sanneh Foundation. Half a country away, in Orlando, Fla., Hall of Famer Esse Baharmast (2022) told Kari Seitz she would be inducted in front of a room of match officials at the National Referee Coach Camp.
And Hall of Famer Marcelo Balboa (2005) made his surprise appearance at a meeting of the Ballistic Soccer Club in Pleasanton, Calif., to tell Kevin Crow, the club’s technical director, the news of his election. (Crow initially thought Balboa was the pizza delivery guy.)
The Hall of Fame began its trademark surprise missions in 2018 with the election of the first class after its move to Frisco.
“The first one we did in 2018 felt groundbreaking,” Buchholz said. “We opened some eyes about who the Hall of Fame was going to be moving forward. We’re not just a place where you come look at artifacts. We’re going to be innovative.”
Instead of a private call and a press release, the Hall leaned into something more human. The surprise became part of the story. The reactions became part of the legacy.
It transformed the announcement from information into experience.
As the surprises have grown, so has the audience around them. Fans now expect them. They look for them. They anticipate when they might happen — even if they don’t know exactly when.
“It’s become part of our brand,” Buchholz said. “It’s become something people look forward to every year.”