With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon and soccer’s popularity continuing to rise in the United States, events like La Noche demonstrate how brands can invest not just in the sport, but in the communities and cultures that sustain it.
On Sunday, Feb. 2, a short distance from California State University, Dominguez Hills, TOMA and Nike LA pulled out all the stops for the first stop of its La Noche 6v6 boys and girls street soccer tournament at The Lawn, located within Burrell-MacDonald Park.
TOMA is a community-based, 6v6 street-style soccer tournament designed to spotlight young local talent and bring the game directly to neighborhoods where it thrives. The event transformed The Lawn into a vibrant nighttime showcase of sport and culture, combining competitive matches with live entertainment and community celebration.
“This gave our community a platform to finally see themselves in ads and campaigns with Nike on a global scale,” said Gustavo Portillo, a representative from House of 626, the local organization that helped facilitate the event. “We finally have a voice in L.A. The 626 often gets forgotten because of its association with LA and LA County.”
Nike tapped into Los Angeles’ love for music by bringing out local artists, including Kalan.FrFr, Shoreline Mafia, and AzChike, all hometown names who kept the crowd going between matches. “We were able to reflect our community at the purest level,” Portillo said.
Beyond the field, local food trucks lined the park, offering flavors reflective of Los Angeles’ diverse communities. “We were able to celebrate and share our community and the beautiful melting pot that it is,” Portillo added.
Even L.A.’s signature car culture had a presence. Street cars outlined The Lawn, and at key moments, drivers revved their engines in celebration, adding the very familiar L.A. sound to the night. “I grew up selling at car shows and car swap meets, and the car culture as a whole is a big part of the 626 and many childhoods in L.A.,” Portillo explained.
For photographers like Alexandria Yawata, the event provided an opportunity to explore creativity outside the constraints of client expectations. “Shooting TOMA helps my growth and confidence because I can shoot without restrictions and explore my creativity,” Alexandria said. “Sometimes when I’m hired by a client, there’s pressure to perform exactly to their expectations. With TOMA, you’ll see a lot of my photos have motion blur because I wanted to reflect the fast-paced and exciting environment — something I probably wouldn’t have done if I were hired by Nike or another brand.”
Even without being officially hired, Yawata shared that showing up is part of creating opportunities for herself. “The beauty of TOMA is that you can be nobody and all of a sudden, the next morning, a few more people recognize your talent,” she said. “I love soccer so much and want to involve myself in it in as many ways as I can.”
Yawata’s goal in photographing the event was to highlight the athletes and the sport itself. “My goal wasn’t to showcase Nike, but to capture the passion, intensity, speed, and power of the sport,” she said. “A lot of the recognition comes from the athletes and other sports photographers — it brings authenticity to the brand while celebrating the community.”
Portillo also reflected on the lasting impact of a previous TOMA 626 event held last summer. Revenue from that event supported Afja, a nonprofit building soccer programs in Central America. “Core memories were built that will last forever,” Portillo said. “The kids even received gear, including cleats — for some, elite-tier cleats are a thing of dreams, all from playing pick-up street futsal at a local park, with no fees!”
Portillo finishes exclaiming, “Nike is giving us the platform to change the world through our local community!”