The NASA logo is visible during the unveiling of the Artemis III mission, at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, June 9. (Reuters-Yonhap) NASA announced Monday that it will send a soccer ball to the Moon if the United States wins the 2026 FIFA World Cup.According to Agence France-Presse, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman made the pledge during an event outlining the agency's plans for establishing a lunar base.Isaacman referenced the famous moment in 1971 when astronaut Alan Shepard secretly brought a golf club and golf balls to the Moon and took several swings on the lunar surface."We're going to top Alan Shepard. We're sending a soccer ball to the Moon," Isaacman said. "Hopefully this gives the US national team a little extra motivation."He added, "This is our challenge to them, so the US team needs to complete the mission."Carlos Garcia-Galan, manager of NASA's lunar base program, also backed the pledge, saying the agency would "absolutely make room" if the United States wins the tournament, noting that the light weight of a soccer ball would pose no issue for transport to the Moon."Now everything depends on the US men's national team. Good luck," he said.NASA had previously marked the North America-hosted World Cup by sending the tournament's official match ball, "Trionda," to the International Space Station (ISS). Ahead of the tournament kickoff, the agency released footage showing the ball floating aboard the orbiting station.The United States men's national team finished top of its group and is set to face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Round of 32.(This article was produced with the assistance of AI. — Ed.)