Almost Inform

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5yhL1vcU_58" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/rl.JPG" data-entity-uuid="84e2bb08-2630-45f9-8f4d-8eaf83e4b30a" data-entity-type="file" width="1200" height="800">Red Line SG - Neighborhood Tournament</p></div></div></div><p>The neighborhood futsal tournament, sponsored by Red Line SG, brought together teams from across Chicago, featuring squads from <a href="https://almostinform.com/favella-fc-3rd-annual-futsal-tournament">Favella FC</a>, GOAT_MVMT, and Beverly Pickup, alongside a network of free facilities promoted by the supporters group. The rest of the 12-team field was formed by region, with multiple entries representing Reyes, Chopin, Horner, and Marquette.&nbsp;</p><p>The event also featured some unique additions: a foosball table with two remote-control cars for a live “Rocket League” experience, a curated selection of kits from <a href="https://almostinform.com/edgewater-castle-finale-crossbar-syndicate-flag-collaboration">Crossbar Syndicate</a>, and an exciting commemorative issue of Futsal Manga by Eye x Foot, complete with two beautiful illustrations created for the occasion.&nbsp;</p><p>Matches were set at 10 minutes, with three goals needed to advance, but after six minutes, players were dropped from each team if needed, intensifying the pace. From Morgan Park on the South Side to Mather on the North, teams converged in fierce, genuine city-wide games.&nbsp;</p><p>With the group stages complete, eight teams advanced to the quarter-finals. In the end, a Reyes Park squad was left to face a home-court Horner side in the championship. Reyes Park prevailed, lifting the cup, and it was revealed they would be honored this Saturday by walking onto the field during the Chicago Fire’s final match of the season!&nbsp;</p><p>I’ll leave you with the closing words of Red Line’s president, Jake, which I truly believe: “As long as the community works together, there’s no reason Chicago can’t be the greatest soccer city in America by the time the new Fire stadium is unveiled.” I said back at the <a href="https://almostinform.com/chicago-fire-saturdays-football-2025-municipal-kit-launch-party">third-kit release</a> event that things were looking good - but now, I suppose, we’ve got 3/4 of a billion more reasons.&nbsp;</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2z4oOR3grao" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/woso.JPG" data-entity-uuid="2a983116-3845-4174-a80d-2b44e200ef27" data-entity-type="file" width="1350" height="900">Chicago WOSO Soccer Tournament</p></div></div></div><p>Last Sunday, Chicago Women’s Soccer (WOSO) brought the community together for an exciting 8v8 tournament. The event was held in partnership with NBHD, a nonprofit that builds community through accessible soccer programs. WOSO’s mission is to provide a welcoming home for women and underrepresented players of every background.</p><p>Teams played 20-minute matches against every opponent, which kept the tournament running well into the afternoon. Following the opening round of matchups, the stage was set for a final clash between Tigres in blue and Roja in red. Ultimately, the match went to penalties, and Tigres had just enough to cross the line and take home the win.</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QGXpf1zsN3g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/vella.JPG" data-entity-uuid="17ffe3de-5b9a-468e-a10a-20c10e545dfe" data-entity-type="file" width="1650" height="1100">Favella FC's 3rd Annual Futsal Tournament</p></div></div></div><p>The Third Annual <a href="https://almostinform.com/favella-fcs-fifa-tournament-champions-embassy-public-house">Favella FC</a> Futsal Tournament featured 10 teams competing for the prize this year! It was an exciting afternoon, with a two-group format that brought together some of my favorite people from across the city’s soccer community. Pilsen’s Reyes Park on 19th hosted a mix of footballers, artists, musicians, designers, creators, mixologists, organizers, vendors, and sports medicine professionals... Vida de favela!</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6L5GdKRMHhM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/ecfc-crossbar.JPG" data-entity-uuid="f2bea2cb-8bf7-4569-8fbb-b5f7fac2c976" data-entity-type="file" width="1500" height="1000">ECFC - Crossbar Syndicate</p></div></div></div><p>I went to the final game for <a href="https://almostinform.com/edgewater-castle-fc">Edgewater Castle</a> this year with my friend Thad from <a href="https://almostinform.com/sidewalk-fc-way-walk">Sidewalk FC</a> and the recently formed Crossbar Syndicate. The team had clinched the title by then, so the atmosphere was great. We also got to see the upcycled pennants and corner flags they had created for the team.</p><p><a href="https://almostinform.com/chicago-fifa-league-doubles-tournament-ignite-gaming-lounge">A few weeks ago</a>, I spoke with Murtadha, a player for Edgewater Castle, about their successful season this year. Both the men’s and women’s teams won their respective divisions. I attended the men’s final match in the MWPL Heartland Division, where their victory capped off an impressive campaign.&nbsp;</p><p>The league cup was on full display and ECFC also displayed some excellent merchandise, including Argyle scarves that will come in handy sooner than I’d like. They also produce some of the best commemorative match artwork of any club in Chicago.</p><p>Also on display were the custom flags and pennants that Crossbar Syndicate had made for ECFC. The team had recently switched kit sponsorship to Lotto, so they went to work repurposing the old designs. It was great to see the first project from months ago on full on throughout the field.</p><p>In the end, I forgave Rookie the club mascot for mean-mugging me. ECFC won the game late, on a counter attack that felt perfect and Rookie was cool with me taking a selfie with him and cup! Rooks Rooks Rooks indeed.</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NqSreWkQpI0" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/poster1.jpg" data-entity-uuid="f8964c6e-959f-4cbc-96b8-46bc76a91d40" data-entity-type="file" width="1440" height="1795">Goru Kits Chicago Pop-UP</p></div></div></div><p>The Goru Kit pop-up was one of the best traveling displays I’ve seen in the city! Mitchell and Jeff were very helpful and knowledgeable. We talked about the unique specialties of the collection they had curated for Chicago. The display featured an impressive range of kits from Japan’s national teams as well as the <a href="https://almostinform.com/documentary-inside-japans-football-obsession-fourfourtwo">J.League</a>, but it also clearly had something for everyone.&nbsp;</p><p>Based in Minneapolis (a city with daily flights to Japan) the shop has built close ties overseas, giving their collection a direct and unique connection to Japanese football culture. That subsection was as robust as any I’ve ever seen, so I made sure to highlight a few gems, my favorite was the ’98 Japan national team #11 Kazu kit.</p><p>They also happened to be sponsoring a scavenger hunt that day, so I decided to join in. The hunt began near me in Wicker Park, then led me to Saturday’s Football, and finally into the Goru Kit Pop-Up. I ended up completing it and took home some great items, including a 2019 <a href="https://almostinform.com/chicago-fire-fc">Chicago Fire FC</a> home kit and a poster from local artist Clue for that night’s upcoming match vs. LAFC.&nbsp;</p><p>When I made it into the shop, I was especially interested in seeing the Chicago Sting kits they had on display. The Sting were Chicago’s first pro soccer team—one of the most successful and beloved clubs in the city’s history. Their branding was inspired by the film of the same name, and the black and yellow colors quickly became iconic, instantly recognizable as part of the team’s identity. Honestly, I can’t even remember if I’d ever seen one of their jerseys in person before, let alone a whole collection.&nbsp;</p><p>Goru Kits put together an incredible set of pieces to explore, and impressed me with their knowledge and deep connection to the culture. I’m looking forward to seeing what they have in store next—and I definitely need to make a trip to Minneapolis to check out their full collection, which looks to be one of the biggest in the Midwest!</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Areh0LYtses" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/533408173_17958257771975757_302502981125207773_n.jpg" data-entity-uuid="3698a716-c699-484a-9af6-bc74d5799b56" data-entity-type="file" width="1440" height="1800">Chicago FIFA League</p></div></div></div><p>I attended the recent 2v2 tournament hosted by the Chicago FIFA League at Ignite Gaming Lounge in Chicago. The event was exciting, and I took some time to interview the organizer, Rizz, as well as a few of the players. Murtadha, who also played for Edgewater Castle, joined the conversation, and as a bonus we discussed the exciting conclusion to their season.</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tfCsN5QsAhg" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/layers.jpg" data-entity-uuid="a4f6bc70-5bab-435a-a646-acdf248c21ad" data-entity-type="file" width="750" height="1000">Layers Chicago Footy Rack Summer 2025</p></div></div></div><p>In this second and final installment of “Looking for a Chicago Fire FC Kit in Wicker Park,” I finally came across a great piece at Layers Vintage. I also wanted to highlight the impressive collection on display at Saturday’s Football, which they’ve been showcasing since the third kit event this past winter.</p>

<div id="slideshow"><div id="slide-container"><div class="slide slide_1 default"><p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5g_v32t6E6w" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p></div><div class="slide"><p><img data-entity-uuid="489ad3bb-fcce-448a-a684-2afbf1664205" data-entity-type="file" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/homie-wp2.jpg" width="1100" height="1019">Italia @ Wicker Park Fest 2025</p></div></div></div><p>Wicker Park has some of Chicago’s best vintage shops. In June, I organized a vintage market for my non-profit group, the Wicker Park Committee. While recruiting vendors for that event, I was fortunate to connect with so many people in the neighborhood who contribute to the independent business ecosystem—and I learned that many of them also have some incredible footy kits.&nbsp;</p><p>My personal goal was to track down a nice used Fire kit that I could wear to the <a href="https://almostinform.com/chicago-fire-fc-vs-minnesota-utd-fc-us-open-semis">U.S. Open Cup match I was attending</a> in Minneapolis, as a new member of the Bridgeport Pilsen Firm. The first part of this video takes you through Primarie’s and Bodega Vintage—two of the businesses I worked with for my market, and two great friendships that came out of the process—along with my friends at Urban Jungle, and finally Wanna Vintage, another fantastic spot that houses multiple vendors under its umbrella.&nbsp;</p><p>I’ve come to see “umbrella” as the perfect way to describe a lot of these places. For example, the kits on display at Primarie’s come from Chris Thrift’s collection—an independent seller who can shift inventory from an event to a studio, and then pop back up in a shop like Primarie’s, which also doubles as an incubator for smaller vintage fashion collections.&nbsp;</p><p>Bodega Vintage and Wanna Vintage run a similar model, serving as home bases for many of the resellers you may have seen this summer at street festivals or markets like the one I organized. A couple of folks laughed when I suggested they form a union—but in some ways, they already have one.&nbsp;</p><p>So please take a second to check out the interesting and rare footy kits I found in the first part of my hunt. I apologize for the lateness of this drop - it’s been a busy summer - but maybe that just means everyone’s had more time to re-up their inventory!</p>