There is no answer to the question of what, exactly, the future of soccer might look like. But Toma might just be on track to figure it out.
While the 11v11 game experiments with new rules, and other leagues shrink the size of the pitch, Toma has stripped down football to what it really is these days: a wonderful blend of individual skill and off-the-pitch culture.
In 2025, Nike started this whole thing, launching “Toma el Juego”, a youth-led street soccer platform that invited teams and individuals from targeted communities to come together to play football. It selected eight neighborhoods, and had them play each other in a knockout-style street tournament - the kind you might find on blacktops around the world.
But that, in isolation, was not enough. Indeed, Nike needed to make this thing an event, give people a reason to attend. And, more broadly, tap into the other elements of the game. Soccer is a competition, but it is also content, a product, youth-driven but also connected with modern culture.
That’s why the original run collaborated with hip-hop star Travis Scott, and invited creators from around the soccer world to participate. This thing wasn’t just a tournament; it was a gathering of the community at large - and an acknowledgment of what the sport is all about. And after the first event - held in Los Angeles and brought to life by Samba flair - Nike expanded.
Most recently, it went even bigger in Atlanta. Scott was there again. But he wasn’t the only A-lister there. 21 Savage, who made his name in the A, delivered a surprise set. Soccer legends such as Clint Dempsey also showed up - donning the brand new USMNT kit that has made waves on social media for its acknowledgement of great teams of the past.
On the court, eight teams competed. And off it was an entire experience. A Nike SNKRS pop up debuted surprise merch, designed in collaboration with local brands and creatives. Attendees were invited to customize the new USMNT shirts on the spot. Creators from around the world were there. This was a pure representation of what soccer is these days.
And there’s more to come. Toma is expanding. It will now spread to six continents and 20 cities around the world, and will conclude with a massive overall event that will pit the finalists of all the individual tournaments against each other. Atlanta, then, was a perfect encapsulation of soccer in one night. The coming months will only offer more.