SOCCA Small-Field Soccer World Cup, Essen

SOCCA World Championship Title

Six-on-six, a smaller field, and short halves: Socca is soccer in a compact format played at a fast pace. At the natural elements SOCCA World Cup 2026, 48 nations competed for the title over ten days, with three match blocks per day. The matches were played on Kennedyplatz, right in the heart of downtown Essen, surrounded by shops, restaurants, and passersby.

10 days, 48 nations

Essen had already hosted the Small-Field Soccer World Cup in 2023 and brought the tournament back to the city in 2026. With 48 nations participating, it was the largest edition since the tournament’s debut in 2018. In the final, Germany defeated Brazil 3–1 and became world champions for the second time, following their 2018 victory.

An arena right in the middle of the city

When undertaking a project in the city center, the first question is what is feasible on-site. Kennedyplatz is located in the pedestrian zone, and that has implications for the construction process: Access is limited, there is little space to unload materials, and normal city operations simply continue as usual during construction. About 20 truckloads—totaling roughly 350 metric tons of materials—were transported through the city. It took a good week and a half from the first component to the completed arena.

From the Town Square to the Playing Field

Kennedyplatz is a space for pedestrians, not for soccer players. The ground slopes slightly and is uneven, which isn’t suitable for a playing field. That’s why the first step was to install the subbase: it leveled the surface and made it stable enough to lay the artificial turf evenly. The result was consistent playing conditions and a ball that rolled the same way throughout the entire tournament.

The arena was built on this basis. The playing field, bleachers, access routes, and technical infrastructure all had to fit together within a limited space. The planning took into account good visibility from all seats, visitor flow, accessible entry points, safety, and logistics in the downtown area. The bleachers were arranged around the playing field to suit the small field and the tournament concept. The challenge was to reconcile all these requirements within a temporary facility in a confined space.