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People from all walks gather at the futsal courts at King Elementary School (4906 NE 6th Ave.) every Tuesday night to play street soccer until the sun goes down. Organized by Street Soccer USA’s Portland chapter in partnership with Laundry PDX, a vintage teamwear store on Northeast Alberta Street, Tuesday Night Futsal (instagram.com/streetsoccerpdx) sessions run until the end of the summer. It’s five-on-five futsal (think basketball, but with your feet), and the team that wins gets to stay on the court and play again. It’s free to play or watch, and there are teams playing on two courts. The evenings have become heavily attended, with some nights seeing 30 to 40 people come out to play.
The courts are hopping long after play starts at 6 pm. Organizers play music, provide water and some snacks, and hang banners reminiscent of signs you might see at a match in South America or Europe: colorful, hand-painted banners showing pride for club or country teams. “It has grown so quickly since we launched in May because the community is hungry for a space like this,” says Julian Alexander, the Portland chapter’s director. “It has really become a beautiful spot to play some futsal but also meet new people.”
Street Soccer USA-PDX, the nonprofit that runs the sessions, aims to fight poverty and strengthen communities through soccer. Founded in North Carolina in 2009, Street Soccer USA now has chapters in 16 cities across the U.S. and, according to SSU, primarily serves communities where 33% of residents live below the poverty line. “Our mission is to provide free, year-round soccer programs for underserved youth and adults across the Pacific Northwest,” Alexander says.”We aim to provide an alternative to the pay-to-play model by offering inclusive and accessible soccer programs.”
See the rest of Willamette Week’s Best of Portland 2024 here!