Edgewater Castle FC Hosts Free EA Sports FC 27 Tournament at The Globe Pub
CHICAGO — On a chilly night, three TVs stood mounted on the walls at the back of The Globe Pub in North Center, glowing with team selection screens as a crowd of soccer lovers swarmed around competitors waiting for the first kickoff.
In the dimly lit room, conversations filled the air and drowned out the music. Scarves and signed jerseys were draped on the walls, the current Premier League standings were posted at the back of the bar and a replica World Cup Trophy glimmered for fans to see. Towards the back, competitors stood patiently waiting for their turn, talking amongst themselves and cheering on every goal scored.
The event, held Nov. 7, was Edgewater Castle FC’s free-to-play EA Sports FC 27 tournament, tied to the Red Bull Wings Cup, which is in its first year touring the U.S. It was not only a chance for players to show off their skills to a crowd, but for a small community club — in the midst of its offseason — to bring people from surrounding Chicago neighborhoods to one of the city’s best-known soccer bars.
ECFC President and Owner Andrew Swanson said the event host, The Globe Pub, was the natural fit.
“It’s just a place that people that love soccer have been coming for a long time,” Swanson said.
He said the free entry was a deliberate action to help build community in the area, promoting the free-to-play standard already set in the club. Swanson emphasized the community aspect of gathering fans together at such an iconic staple to the community.
Competitor Justin Villasenor, from Pilsen, signed up to play after his brother shared the event in a group chat. He said playing in-person was an immediate draw for him.
“In this day and age of AI and social media, in which we’re all so disconnected, I feel like it’s really nice that they give us space to come together,” Villasenor said. “There’s no rage quit where you can just go on to the next thing. This is real life.”
Edwin Siguachi, from Andersonville, found the tournament on Instagram. It was the first ECFC event he’s attended.
“It’s pretty cool that they’re hosting events,” Siguachi said.
Gabriel Cavalheiro, a former Edgewater Castle player, said the night gave him a reason to trek through the cold.
“If I weren’t here, I’d probably be home by now,” Cavalheiro said.
With the club’s office and home stadium just a mile and a half away, Swanson hopes the regulars at the pub will soon become regulars at Edgewater Castle’s games this coming summer.
“The biggest position statement we want to make with an event like this or anything we do is basically just making sure that we can reinforce the fact that we’re your local club,” Swanson said.
The Wings Cup stays in Chicago for its next event. The top 32 players in the country compete in December for a chance at a World Final spot held in Miami in January. But for the Saturday crowd coming together at the back of the bar, it's often their first look at the community a local club can bring together.
