Developer of Mirvish Village supports inaugural event

By Shaya Rahmani

The route to the World Cup came to the Annex on June 21—this time, on a foosball table.

Thirty-two teams packed into Raffaella inside the Annex Hotel for the inaugural Foosball Cup, a community tournament presented by Mirvish Village, the developer at Bathurst and Bloor and organized by Sunday Pace. The winner-take-all competition offered an unusual grand prize: a pair of tickets to a FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match in Toronto and a custom 3D-printed Foosball World Cup trophy.

The event transformed the venue into a lively tournament floor as teams with names such as Portugal, Rush Hour, Shabang FC, and Win-Benyana battled through a single-elimination bracket. Custom jerseys, produced by GTA Jerseys, added to the competitive atmosphere while live music kept the energy high throughout the afternoon.

Tournament organizers emphasized accessibility over elite competition. Players deemed highly experienced or semi-professional were required to partner with a less experienced teammate which created balanced matchups and encouraged broader participation.

The tournament also reflected the evolution of Sunday Pace which began as a run club before expanding into community-focused events. Erfan Noroozi, from Sunday Pace, explained that the organization builds gatherings around existing communities and neighbourhood connections, rather than relying on outside attractions to draw people together. Through partnerships with Mirvish Village and Raffaella, the Foosball Cup became another example of that community-first approach in action.

The tournament drew participants from across the city. Professional-grade tables were supplied by Italian Foosball, whose representatives also helped vet registrations to identify experienced players.

The match rules prohibited spinning the rods and jerking the table which kept the focus on skill and teamwork.

One team took home the prize, but the afternoon seemed less like a competition and more like a community. Between applause, friendly rivalries, and a whole lot of neighbourhood pride, the Foosball Cup transformed a basic table game into a celebration of local connectedness with a World Cup-sized award waiting at the finish line.