SHOWDOWN

NEW YORK 2026 RECAP

This year’s Showdown was a blur of the beautiful game, and we’d love to crowd-source your favorite moments!  And speaking of crowds . . . .

In a city already at Peak Sports Energy with the World Cup rolling out and the Knickerbockers rolling towards that Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy (🗽), Nike led the way as we popped up with the energy of it all, and took over the Lower East Side on Sunday, June 7th, 2026 for our 14^th Steve Nash Foundation Showdown in New York City.  Sunday, you ask?  Yup — for the first time, we departed from our pre-NBA Draft timing in NYC, featuring in Nike’s innovative football livestream from Mexico City, Los Angeles and us in the east.

With rain forecast but blue skies overhead, our crew – lead by the wonderful Brooke of Street FC – got an early start in transforming the Pit into our Showdown showroom.  Located on the edge of Chinatown in historic Sara D. Roosevelt Park — our longtime home for Showdown — the Pit raises the free-to-the-public spectator angle, providing a fishbowl-like view of the street soccer matches in the sunken pitch below, just two blocks south from Showdown’s regular pitch on the LES.

As Showdown’s devotees and passerby began surrounding the Pit in anticipation, our athletes arrived to the Player’s Lounge.  As always, a few surprises awaited: Friend of Showdown Baron Davis (who played in the very first Showdown) came out to support, and was quickly recruited to play; ditto for Chelsea legend Didier Drogba (in his Showdown debut).  The Showdown x Nike kit – beautifully curated by the Nike NYC team – wowed both new and returning players with its retro 90’s style and modern tech, and a mix of T90 and Streetgatos in coordinating hues.  And players were stoked to be greeted by Oakley, who gifted each a pair from their Meta line of glasses.  When it was time to head out, Steve briefed the players on Showdown’s street format: 4-minute 5-a-side matches, winner stays on, extra points for special goals.

We arrived at the Pit just in time for our Showcase, an exhibition match-up of some of the city’s best young ballers, hosted by Uyi Omorogbe which did *not* disappoint:

Showcase Athletes:

Team Volt (Yellow): Ezzio Tirado*, Haroon Lamdichi, Victoria Ranieri*, Jenna Fragias, Kennedy Wallace, Jose Garcia

Team Photo (Blue): Josue Campoverde, Einar “Chucky” Chavez, Mila Dillard, Andrea Lopes, Yacouba “Kalilou” Soumahoro, Isha Konteh

Team Vivid (Pink): Wilson Carrion, Noah Hammerschmidt, Cindy Alarkon*, Asiya Parra*, Ariana Rodriguez, Adama Bamba

(* returning Showcase athletes).

And as the pros took center pitch, our new format highlighted the skill sets of some incredible footie artists:

Team Off-Noir: Mehdi Ballouchy (MLS), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast MNT, Chelsea, Le Mans), Jeff Matteo (MLS), Steve Nash (Canada MNT, NBA), Midge Purce (U.S. WNT, NWSL), Simone Sandri (Novara), Chris Wingert (U.S. MNT, MLS);

Team Orange: Charlie Davies (U.S. MNT, FC Sochaux, MLS), Colm Dillane, Kaylyn Kyle Heath (Canada WNT, NWSL), Ed van Gils (the Godfather of street football!), Rodney Wallace (Costa Rica MNT, Brasil Serie A, MLS), , Bradley Wright-Phillips (Manchester City, MLS).

Team Blue: Jen Beattie (Scotland WNT, Arsenal, NWSL), Edgar Davids (Netherlands MNT, Ajax), Dwayne De Rosario (Canada MNT, MLS), Sacha Kljestan (U.S. MNT, Anderlecht, MLS), Ali Krieger (U.S. WNT, NWSL), Josh Richardson (U.S. Men’s Olympic Team, NBA), Gregory van der Wiel (Netherlands MNT, Ajax, MLS)

all buoyed by some incredible sideline supporters, including three-time World Cup Azzurri legend Roberto Baggio and the wonderful Valentina Baggio; Jessica Nowitzki and NBA MVP and Baskteball Hall of Fame’r (and 2014 SNF Showdown MVP winner) Dirk Nowitzki and their beautiful family; long-time Showdown standout and NJ-turned-Serie A star Giuseppe Rossi; actor Boris Kudjoe and his son, Nico; and Nets PG Egor Demin to name a few.

There were goals, goals, and more goals, with Team Off-Noir ultimately prevailing — if you’re keeping score at home, that’s a two-peat for Steve, Midge, Jeff, and Mehdi, and it came with a top-notch assist from Jeff to Steve for the game winner.

After the matches, Players retreated to our host hotel, where a deliciously nourishing dinner from our friends at Phebe’s Tavern & Grill awaited us.  With a quick refresh, we headed over to one4one to celebrate another Steve Nash Foundation Showdown, hosted by Steve’s friend (and Showdown’er emcee extraordinaire) Kyle Martino.

A HUGE thank you to Nike NYC for another wonderful year of support and collaboration, and for running point amidst literally running to your summer slate of epic events; to Street FC for teaming up again with your positive productivity and phenomenal people (and sharing your office space with Jenny); to Formidable Media for bringing Showdown to life outside the Pit for all to see; to our volunteer photographers Jonathan Louie and Pasha Kolonifa for another season of beautiful images (to share alongside Trecy Wendy’s portraiture, and more photos of the day from Anna Curran, Ryutaro Ihara, and Tommie Battle) and for your generosity of time, talent and energy over the years; to our fantastic team of fellas –  Giacomo Mana, Quintus Simmons and Allan Kastrat – hustling merch on the pitch while catching moments with their sporting heroes; and to the Phebe’s team, for capping it all off with another lovely day of golf with friends to benefit our work.

After a steady and vocal demand, we’re releasing a limited run of this year’s Nike kit by donation — check out our Make An Assist Store and get yours while they last! — and sign up for our emails to stay in the know.  You can also follow us on Twitter & Instagram @SteveNashFdn.  Hope to see you next year!