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New York Times
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Times
The cross-border passion fueling San Diego's soccer scene
This article is part of our Finding Fútbol series, a special feature produced by The Athletic to chronicle how the U.S.'s Hispanic communities celebrate and enrich the beautiful game. SAN DIEGO – It is just after 6 a.m. when Ivan Chavez leaves his mother's house in Tijuana, Mexico, a backpack slung over his shoulder and soccer shoes ready on his feet. The border crossing into San Diego is reasonably quiet on Sundays – something he already knows, having made this journey many times before. In fact, it has become second nature. Advertisement Today, he is heading to a tournament but is not even expecting to play. He just loves chasing the game. This is what soccer does when it grabs hold of you, he reasons, the pull being enough to even cross borders. For the 27-year-old Chavez, early daylight offers a glimpse of what might become possible. 'I go back and forth a lot,' he explains. 'I've been doing it for years. My mom lives over there, in Tijuana. That's a big part of why I move between the two places. 'The thing is, when I was younger, she got deported. That changed everything. We had both been living here in San Diego, but after that happened, I started going over to Tijuana more. At first it was tough, but that's where I really got into soccer. 'Over there, it's part of the culture and everybody plays. At school, the kids bring a ball to class to play right after. It is everywhere and that energy pulls you in.' Chavez is talking from the artistic industrial center of San Diego's Barrio Logan distract, just past midday, long after his early morning rise over in Mexico. 'I only turned up today to watch,' he reveals. 'I was not on a team, but when I got here a side called Big Dawgs were one player short and asked me to join them … so of course I did. 'I just have to get back to Tijuana by 6 p.m. because I have another game over there for another team I play for. I know that probably sounds tricky but it will be OK. It's normal for me. I've been doing this since I was a teenager. I have two worlds I live in. I love it.' The soccer tournament is called Rey Del Barrio – a 12-team contest held in a caged futsal pitch, surrounded by murals painted on the concrete walls of overlapping freeway ramps. It is a competition purposefully rooted in this community. San Diego is a richly diverse city, with a Hispanic or Latino population that makes up nearly one-third of its residents. The Chicano Futsal setup is growing fast across San Diego and this hub is a free, inclusive program that attracts anyone who wants to play. Sessions often draw more than 40 players at a time. Tony Diorio has become one of the group's leaders. Before our conversation even begins, three players come by separately to greet him with fist bumps and hugs, a father figure being greeted by some of the grateful recipients of his community efforts. 'It's a love of the game that makes you wanna be here,' he says. 'I'm friends with people that don't speak English very well, and I don't speak Spanish very well. But I say hello, we smile and communicate through the game. We have an understanding that connects us. Advertisement 'One thing I notice a lot here in San Diego is how many people have soccer tattoos – not just the usual stuff like a ball or a heart, but really personal expressions of love for the game. It's part of the culture here. At our games, as long as you're willing to put in the time and respect others, there are no barriers. Not money, not background. It's just about showing up and playing. 'A lot of people live in Tijuana and come up to play. This is international football and everybody loves it.' Around 84 percent of San Diego's Hispanic community are of Mexican origin – but the city also hosts smaller yet meaningful numbers of Puerto Ricans, Salvadorans, Peruvians, Guatemalans, Colombians, and more. In the parking lot of Snapdragon Stadium on a warm July afternoon, a group of children kick a ball around in the dust of Purple parking Lot. Just yards away, a stretch of grills and folding tables has transformed part of the space into a vibrant street party. Music thumps from speakers, the scent of carne asada fills the air, and fans wearing San Diego FC's azul and chrome color scheme drink beneath a canopy of flags. The tailgate is a sea of energy and noise. Amongst it is 34-year-old Alamo Cassiani, who grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia, and kept his passion alive since arriving in San Diego as a teenager. 'My dad took me to the stadium from a young age and we followed Junior FC as a family,' he says. 'In South America, football isn't just a sport, it's who you are. The passion gets passed down early. Win or lose, you're there, singing.' He played football in school, and pickup games in his San Diego neighborhood maintained his connection with the sport. 'I was never professional, nothing like that,' he laughs. 'But I was always playing. It was how we connected, how we grew up.' Advertisement Snapdragon is home of San Diego FC, MLS's newest franchise, launched earlier this year. The emphasis on the roots of its foundation is clear in their motto messaging: 'Community comes first in our Club. When we say San Diego this includes the entire region, including all 18 cities in San Diego County plus the cross border communities in Mexico.' For Cassiani, the club helps fill the need for more football in his life and he has become one of the leaders of the Barra 18 supporters' group. 'Everyone brings a little of their own flavor, in our group we have people from Argentina, Mexico, Colombia and many other places. We're building something really special. 'Two weeks ago I flew to Colombia with some members of the Barra to visit family and friends. While we were there, we went to a match in one of the cities, and seeing that passion firsthand again was incredible. From the outside, you can really see the difference – the level of intensity, the traditions. That's where we want to get to with San Diego. And we will.' While SDFC represents the game at its highest level, it provides inspiration for everyone. Esteban Toscano is a 23-year-old soccer content creator and Sunday league player at the core of the city's football culture. Watching San Diego FC has become central to his life and true fulfillment comes when he is on the turf. He is coming to terms with a disappointing defeat for Stanley FC, his team in the California Soccer League, who have been eliminated in an El Cajon playoff game. 'It was so hot,' Toscano says. 'There is no place out there that is cool. It was a tight game but we lost 2-1. I often play in goal but in this game I played as a winger. Obviously it was disappointing but being part of it really does mean a lot. 'Playing Sunday league, you build this routine. Every week, you've got the group, the game. It's competitive, it's fast, and you've got guys going into hard tackles and trying to show their skills. But it's also a space for connection,' he says. 'It keeps me healthy and connected. I just love being part of a strong social group.' The California Soccer League was founded in 1988 and what began as a pick-up session has grown to a competitive stage, with over 100 teams across all levels. 'We are in the top league, so it is very competitive – but there are also levels of it where it's more laid back, for people who just want to play for the love of the game. People who are maybe 40 or 50 years old can still enjoy it.' Advertisement From veterans to ex-pros – including Alex Morgan's husband, Servando Carrasco, at one stage – the league reflects the variety of San Diego's soccer scene. 'You see a lot of Hispanic teams, but also Arabic teams, Caribbean teams. It's beautiful. And yeah, we even see the odd celebrity.' Toscano was born in San Diego, grew up on the Mexican side of the border, before shifting back to America. He now lives in Coronado. 'My brother and friend got me into the game and I started playing when I was around 11 – first as a left back, but then I got obsessed with goalkeeping,' he says. 'I had the gloves, I'd do the drills. I just loved it.' That love never left and today he is able to produce social media content, zipping around the city making skill videos. For Chavez, Cassiani, Toscano and thousands like them in San Diego, the game is a thread that stitches together countries, cultures and identity. For them, soccer at its most fundamental level is not just what they do, it's who they are. The Finding Fútbol series is sponsored by Modelo. The Athletic maintains complete editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
New York Times
22-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
From Bogota to Queens: La Cancha Arena is home away from home
This article is part of our Finding Fútbol series, a special feature produced by The Athletic to chronicle how the U.S.'s Hispanic communities celebrate and enrich the beautiful game. QUEENS, N.Y. – After the final whistle blew and Independiente Santa Fe were crowned campeones de Colombia, their fans were plunged into a joyous delirium. Whether due to the weight of 10 minutes of stoppage time or the near decade since the team's last Categoria Primera A title, the moment brought fans to their knees as they screamed in celebration. With their fists in the air, chaos erupted around them. Advertisement Strangers ran into each other's arms, as families embraced one another in disbelief. Some teary-eyed fans stood still, soaking it all in, their rolled-up sleeves revealing the Santa Fe crests tattooed on them like a captain's armband. Sounds of cumbia villera filled the air, as cold beer fell from the sky. It was like these fans were inside El Atanasio, too, but this electric crowd was far from it. This crowd of about 400 strong was some 2,400 miles away at La Cancha Arena, a sports lounge that opened four months ago in Long Island City, Queens. On this warm night in June, the venue, known for its full-sized pitch and giant screen, transformed into a refuge for Santafereños in New York, in what's becoming a buzzing hub for futboleros. La Cancha Arena is the culmination of a 24-year-old teenage dream. Iván Ricardo Contreras, one of five partners running the business, had just graduated high school in the early 2000s when his family decided to move from Bogota, Colombia, to Queens. It was a tough transition, but soccer kept him grounded. 'One of the main factors that made me actually get used to this country was continuing to play soccer,' Contreras told The Athletic. 'So, I always had soccer in my blood, and I said, 'You know what? I want to be able to have my own field (one day).'' That desire, born from pick-up with strangers in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, stayed with Contreras for two decades. After a career as a community organizer, he transitioned into the restaurant industry – first as a manager before working his way up to owner. Four years ago, he started looking for a place to fulfill his dream, eventually zeroing in on a property on Northern Boulevard. From the outside in, the property looks like an unassuming storefront on the outskirts of Long Island City, tucked between car dealerships and a few blocks from residential homes and the diverse storefronts that line Broadway. The space was likely destined to become another dealership, until Contreras and his four business partners swooped in. Their group is mostly a family affair, with four of their five partners related. Advertisement Together, they transformed this empty showroom into a space that centers around an indoor five-a-side soccer pitch. Since opening in March, the group has been building a family-friendly community around soccer, while paying homage to their roots. The pitch, adorned with Colombian flags, is surrounded by netting and sits beneath a giant screen where matches are streamed, like the recent Apertura final that drew hundreds. Behind the pitch, there's a colorful mural of soccer legends – like Colombia's Carlos Valderrama and James Rodríguez, Argentina's Lionel Messi and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo – and a portrayal of Diego Maradona's Hand of God goal. The venue is a multipurpose space, as indicated by its name. La Cancha for its pitch, and Arena for music or performance venue. The owners hope to diversify their reach by booking talent from other backgrounds, like recent Puerto Rican or Dominican artists. The space has hosted live shows and concerts, and can host parties, like the high school graduation set up on a recent Friday afternoon. Guests can rent the field to play or enter one of their hosted tournaments, which offer cash prizes for winners. The vibe of the space is intentionally casual. Contreras and Andrés Felipe Mosquera, his cousin and business partner, described the concept as el tercer tiempo or 'the third half.' Guests can play soccer, which has a first and second half. The third half is when guests stay to enjoy some food or drinks with their friends or families. 'This is not like a high-end table and chairs,' Mosquera says, pointing to the colorful tables around the space. 'We want people to feel like they are in the neighborhood.' The venue has some obvious features, too, like a full bar, asado grill, extra seating, TV screens and a dressing room. There's also a DJ booth overlooking the pitch, which is covered when needed for additional seating. The DJ switches between sound from the game, salsa and cumbia. On that recent match day for Santa Fe's win against Medellin, the pitch was draped in trapos from the barras bravas, banners or flags from fan groups. Advertisement These fan groups can be local, too, with Contreras sharing he's been in touch with NYCFC's official supporters group to host a watch party for a future away game. By 2027, the MLS side's new stadium is expected to open just five miles down the road, which may offer even more opportunities for potential collaborations. While the pitch is the center of everything here, owners want the business to be rooted in Colombian heritage, too. 'When we have this space and we have the opportunity to actually build something from Colombia,' Contreras said, 'we didn't doubt it.' The venue features two traditional Colombian games, tejo and bolirana. Both games require concentration and skill, with the latter a target game where you throw small balls or tokens at a board with holes. Tejo is considered Colombia's national sport. La Cancha Arena boasts that its tejo setup is the only one in New York City. The game is popular in Bogota, where Contreras and his family are from, and was a significant ingredient in their business model's recipe for success. The game is housed in a cage and involves throwing tejos (metal pucks) at a target embedded in clay. The goal is to land the tejos on mechas, small triangular packets of gunpowder that explode when hit. The venue also sells traditional petacos, curated directly from Colombia. Petacos are cases that hold 30 beers and are common in Colombia, especially when playing tejo. If you look closely at La Cancha Arena's logo, it features an outline of a petaco with five stars representing each business partner. Every detail together establishes the unique identity of La Cancha Arena, whose main purpose is to create community. The hope is to attract Colombians and fans from other backgrounds, so they can feel as close to the sport and their teams as possible. 'What's spectacular about this place,' Contreras says, 'it's like they're going to the field. They start jumping in a soccer field (so) that they feel, even though they're far from their country, Colombia, and they want to be in the stadium, right here it's like they're approaching (closer) to their team.' Advertisement 'It's like they want to feel the sensation,' Mosquera adds. 'They want to pretend they are watching the game in a real field. So, they are watching the game on a big screen. They are playing all the drums and all that stuff. They are wearing the jerseys. Everyone is sitting all together. They pretend they are in the stadium.' That feeling of being a part of something bigger than themselves was evident a few weeks ago, when Santa Fe fans erupted with joy inside La Cancha Arena. When Santa Fe defeated Medellin 2-1 at El Atanasio, the energy inside the stadium could be felt through the screen. Santa Fe was the away team that night and considered the tournament's underdog. But you wouldn't have guessed it by the energy in Long Island City. If the fans inside the stadium were the team's 12th man, then the fans inside La Cancha Arena were its honorary No. 13. When Santa Fe captain Hugo Rodallega scored the game-winning goal in the 79th minute, before coming off for injury, there were an agonizing 10 minutes of regular time remaining, followed by 10 more minutes of stoppage time before fans could celebrate. There were tears. There was joy. There was relief. As one fan said, suffering is part of it. After the final whistle, there's a young boy who takes his jersey off and begins twirling it above his head like the older men around him. Fans inside La Cancha Arena are video calling relatives, showing them the scenes they're living in real time. You can smell the red flare set off outside, as the celebrations burst at the seams. It did not matter to Santafereños that they were thousands of miles from home. For them, on this night, Santa Fe was in Queens. 'Soccer is always there,' Contreras says, reflecting on his journey to this moment. 'It's part of our lives. It's part of our culture,' Mosquera says. 'For South Americans, that's something that is part of our soul. It's part of our life. That's something you cannot get away from us.' The Finding Fútbol series is sponsored by Modelo. The Athletic maintains complete editorial independence. Sponsors have no control over or input into the reporting or editing process and do not review stories before publication.
