While the world poured into screens to watch the biggest tournament on earth, thousands of Plei players were a few steps from the East River, lacing up and keeping the game alive.
A World Cup is a spectacle, and a brilliant one. But it's not what keeps this sport alive. That credit belongs to the players, fans, and pickup regulars who show up long before kickoff and keep showing up long after the confetti's swept away.
This summer, we gave them a pitch right in the middle of it all.
What actually happened?
This summer, adidas and COPA90 built the Home of Soccer at Brooklyn Bridge Park, and all through the FIFA World Cup 2026™, we hosted free pickup games right on its iconic pitch. Players signed up on the Plei app, showed up, and played. No wristband, no "you had to know someone," just the best fan zone in the world, open to everyone.
That's always been the idea. Fisayo Alafe-Aluko of COPA90 put it best:
"Football has always been about people before platforms. Bringing together creators, supporters, pros, and local communities all on one pitch keeps the game flourishing. It also creates a catalyst for authentic stories that capture the hearts of fans."
[Fisayo Alafe-Aluko, Business Director, COPA90]
Okay, but did the legends actually play?
One of them really did! Brazil legend Marcelo jumped straight into Plei-hosted pickup matches. England legend David Beckham swung by to soak up the energy, and rising star Julian Hall hopped on the Home of Soccer pitch for an interview with Plei brand ambassador Ryan Lui on why pickup soccer matters.
No velvet ropes. Just soccer people hanging with soccer people.
It was bigger than a fun day out. Here's what our founder, Sebastian Duque, keeps coming back to:
"For our players, this wasn't just an invitation to a World Cup activation. It was recognition. This summer, adidas and COPA90 created a space that celebrated the people who play pickup soccer every week, not only the people who watch it. That means everything to this community, and we're grateful we got to help bring it to life."
[Sebastian Duque, Founder & CEO, Plei]
Take a look at the full gallery from the summer at adidas3v3.plei.com.
So what happens now?
The Home of Soccer was the special guest, not the main event. It popped up at Brooklyn Bridge Park just for the World Cup, threw the party of the summer, and now that the final whistle's blown (shoutout to Spain), it's packed up and gone.
But the free games? Those never left.
We've been running free pickup games for adidas Fútbol Society and COPA90 since February 2025, across New York City, Miami, Houston, Los Angeles, and Atlanta. Tournament or not, we do what we do best: quality pickup soccer, free wherever we can make it.
So far, that's over 850 games and 14,250 players who showed up, laced up, and played without spending a dime.
Why keep it going all year? Because a World Cup doesn't just hype everyone up for a few weeks. It pulls a whole wave of new players onto the pitch, and a lot of them are here to stay:
- 120% more pickup players during major international tournaments
- 118% more first-timers during the World Cup window
- 400% better retention when someone gets into the game through a pickup community
When the whole world's watching soccer, that's the perfect moment to pass someone a ball. And that’s what we do: 200+ games a day across Plei, 6,000+ a month.
The long game
Years from now, everyone will remember the goals and the trophies. But the moments that last are quieter: a pitch that became someone's favorite Tuesday, a group chat full of strangers from a free game, a neighborhood that feels more like home.
That's the history and future of this sport. Not just in the stadiums, but on every pickup pitch where somebody falls for the beautiful game all over again.
See you on the pitch,
Chris & The Plei Team