(Bloomberg) -- A startup planning to bring a soccer version of Topgolf to the US raised about $100 million from a group of investors that includes Harry Kane, captain of England’s national team.
TOCA Football Inc. said its goal is to build a location outside Dallas that will open before the city hosts matches for the 2026 World Cup. The company currently has two venues in England that it describes as a mix of interactive soccer, gaming and dining.
“Similar to the way in which Topgolf has been able to open up the sport of golf to a completely new segment of the market, we think we have the ability to do the same in soccer,” said Yoshi Maruyama, TOCA’s chief executive officer.
With this latest funding round, the company has raised a total of $233 million. The firm declined to provide a valuation. According to data provider PitchBook, TOCA had an estimated value of about $450 million in early 2023.
Topgolf is a good business to emulate. The chain, which combines driving ranges with a sports bar vibe, was acquired by Callaway Brands in 2021 for $2.3 billion, including debt, according to data analyzed by Bloomberg.
TOCA’s main business has been building high-end soccer training centers across North America. In 2022, it entered a partnership with Major League Soccer to grow the sport and develop top-level players. Jim Kavanaugh, owner of the league’s St. Louis City SC, joined the latest funding round.
For the social venues and training centers, the company’s plan is to have hundreds of these locations, Maruyama said. “We have a vision to be in virtually every metropolitan city in North America.”
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