TOCA Football a California-based entertainment and tech company, is to launch a football entertainment venue in a 30,000 sq.ft. site at London’s The O2.
TOCA Social is described as a football entertainment concept that features gaming experiences which use the firm’s Touch Trainer and AI-enabled computer vision technologies, and customized games.
“TOCA is revolutionizing the way players and fans around the world will experience soccer, the world’s most popular sport,” said Erik Anderson, TOCA Co-Chairman and Founder and CEO of WestRiver Group.
“We have assembled a winning team of leaders from the worlds of sports, entertainment and technology to create world-class, authentic, soccer experiences in both training and social settings.”
TOCA was founded by Eddie Lewis, a two-time U.S. World Cup and former MLS and English Premier League midfielder who developed much of TOCA’s proprietary technologies and training experiences.
The firm is backed by more than $50M of capital raised through multiple fundraisings. It currently owns 12 football training centers in Southern California, the Pacific Northwest (including Vancouver, B.C.) and Georgia, and has 18 affiliates throughout North America.
“We are thrilled to select The O2 in London to debut TOCA Social, the world’s first soccer entertainment experience, which will transform soccer from a sport regularly played by only a small portion of the fans into a lifetime connection of active participation, fun, play and community for everyone,” said Yoshi Maruyama, TOCA’s CEO.
Alex Harman, President of TOCA Social, said: “The O2 is Europe’s most iconic family leisure and retail destination, welcoming millions of visitors annually from the UK and throughout the world. It is the perfect launchpad for our mission to bring the joy of playing soccer to everyone.”