No doubt about it: when it comes to soccer, North Texas is an undeniable mecca. Professional franchises like FC Dallas in Frisco and Dallas Trinity FC, based at the historic Cotton Bowl in Fair Park, powerhouse college programs, dynamic high school rivalries, elite club circuits, and even the youngest players lacing up at local YMCAs and little leagues, the world’s favorite pastime pulses through every level of the local community, including the Park Cities. Simply put, Dallas-Fort Worth can’t get enough.
Now, there’s an exciting new game in town, a seriously trendy addition to an already packed field, bringing fresh energy, innovation, and just the right amount of swagger to capture a slice of fans’ ever-growing sports attention span. Step inside TOCA Social, an impressive 20,000 square-foot Topgolf-esque, soccer-themed entertainment center and dining destination that opened on March 6 at Grandscape in The Colony. Located about 20 miles north of the Park Cities, the region is also home to PopStroke golf and the splashy arena theater, Cosm.
Dubbed “the world’s first soccer social club,” the cutting-edge concept is rare, with only three other locations worldwide: two in London and one in Birmingham, England. TOCA Social Grandscape is the company’s first outlet in the U.S. As for the overarching methodology, it’s complex: think of it as an extravagant golf simulator for soccer.
Maybe like Topgolf on steroids. Players take turns kicking balls at a massive digital screen packed with interactive targets with a dynamic series of challenges. A proprietary system handles both delivery and tracking in real time, automatically serving up soccer balls
while recording every score. The action is continuous; fans report that the competition can get quite fierce, especially when played in groups. TOCA Social says it’s the “world’s first soccer-focused entertainment venue,” and claims it can accommodate a range of soccer skills while calibrating the technology for different levels.
Beginners, seasoned players, and everything in-between can all dig into a lineup of games with daunting monikers like “Atom Splitter,” “Zombie Attack,” “Eliminator,” and “Striker.” Players compete in private boxes, taking full advantage of the entire entertainment experience. As for cost, TOCA Social sessions are competitively priced at $15-$20 per person for 45-minute windows. The business was created by U.S. World Cup veteran and Major League Soccer standout Eddie Lewis in partnership with TOCA Football Inc., a tech company he founded in California that operates nearly 40 indoor soccer training centers, including five in DFW.
“TOCA was born out of my obsession with soccer,” says Lewis, calling TOCA Social at Grandscape, “A dream realized.” TOCA Social’s high-profile investor group includes Olympic soccer icon Abby Wambach and Brandon Aubrey of the Dallas Cowboys, who recently became the highest-paid kicker in NFL history. “Soccer is where my professional journey began,” he says. “When I saw what TOCA Social built overseas, combining competition, technology, soccer, and a great night out, it immediately felt like something Dallas would embrace … the timing couldn’t be better.” Wambach has her own take: “Soccer is the ultimate unifier,” she says. “(TOCA) is where the next generation of American soccer culture is being built.” With 9 FIFA World Cup games headed to Arlington, the first such matches held in North America in over three decades, fans from all over the globe will descend upon DFW, making the TOCA Social immersive sports experience a thrilling potential destination for visitors. Beyond the anticipated rush of World Cup fans in the area, TOCA Social’s future looks bright. For Lewis and TOCA investors, the vision is significant, including global expansion.
“To continue to grow in major cities while redefining how people play, train, and connect through soccer,” he says. “TOCA Social will be a key part of that, bringing communities together and making the sport more engaging and accessible worldwide.”
“When I saw what TOCA Social built overseas, combining competition, technology, soccer, and a great
night out, it immediately felt like something Dallas would embrace … the timing couldn’t be better.”