Nirvana Once Played Pickup Soccer Against Male Strippers

After a show in the UK, the grunge icons from Seattle faced off in a surreal 5-a-side game… against male strippers. This week, on the anniversary of the release of “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” we look back at Nirvana’s unexpected crossover with soccer. Plus, we spend a day with San Diego Soccer Women out in California, dive into how to get World Cup tickets tomorrow, and more.

This week’s stories:

• ☀️ A Day With San Diego Soccer Women

• 🎟️ World Cup Tickets Tomorrow!

• 🎸 Nirvana Once Played Pickup Soccer Against Male Strippers

• 🎤 Life Outside the Box

• 🗳️ Poll + Last Week’s Answers

• ➡️ And More

CULTURE
A Day With San Diego Soccer Women

Brandi Mitchell is one of the most influential figures in women’s soccer in the US.

Earlier this year, we had the honor of traveling to San Diego to join one of her weekend pickup soccer games, where women in their 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, and even 70s come together to keep playing the game they love.

Through San Diego Soccer Women, Brandi has built a thriving soccer community that helps adult players find teams, tournaments, and a sense of belonging—proving that one’s passion for the game can truly be timeless.

Watch the story HERE.

WC2026
World Cup Tickets Tomorrow!

The first phase of ticket sales for the 2026 World Cup opens TOMORROW!

Sign-ups for the Visa Presale Draw will run from this Wednesday until Friday, September 19.

After a randomized selection process, successful applicants will be notified via email starting Sept. 29 and will be given a date and time slot to start purchasing tickets (subject to availability), with time slots starting from Oct. 1.

For all the info on how to apply + ticket prices, visit here.

If you have any additional questions about the ticketing process, @travelfutbolfan is the perfect resource to follow on Instagram. They’ll have you covered with absolutely everything you need to know in a simple, digestible manner. You can check them out right here. 

COVER STORY
Nirvana Once Played Pickup Soccer Against Male Strippers

On September 10, 1991, Nirvana released the iconic “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

A song that would catapult the Seattle trio to stardom, take them halfway around the globe that very winter, and finally, lead them to a 5-a-side pickup soccer game in the middle of an empty parking lot in the UK… against a group of male strippers.

This curious anecdote comes from David McLean, a gig promoter from Dundee in the ‘90s.

In an interview with The Guardian about his countless years working in the music business, he recalls one interesting footy-filled night with Nirvana in Nottingham, during their 1991 UK tour:

“After Nottingham Rock City, the Chippendales – a group of male strippers – were in the hotel bar. For some reason, Nirvana’s manager said, ‘Fancy a game of five-a-side?’”

“So Nirvana played a game of five-a-side versus the Chippendales in the car park. Kurt [Cobain] was quite fit, and Dave [Grohl] got stuck in. I can’t remember who won, but for the rest of the night, I pulled a bit of a fast one and pulled all the drinks from the Chippendales’ manager’s room.”

Talk about rock ‘n roll.

I wish we could have more details about how the game went, but simply picturing the members of Nirvana playing soccer in an empty parking lot makes this humble fan of the sport, and their music, smile.

If any of you are in Seattle next year for the World Cup, make sure you pass this story along!

SPOTLIGHT
Life Outside the Box: Taylor Nicole Smith on Finding Freedom and Creativity Through Music

This incredibly creative 2x NWSL Champion is entering a new chapter.

Last week, Taylor Smith released the first single from her new EP, “VICES,” a dreamy pop/R&B project exploring Black lesbian love, healing, and self-expression under the name of Pretty T.

On the eve of the release, we sat down with Taylor to chat about the project, the creative process behind it, and the jump from soccer into the music space.

You can read our first newsletter-exclusive interview right here. 

Just like Taylor, I figured I’d try something a little bit different for this one. Thinking of doing a few more weekly spotlights down the road!

CLUBELEVEN
The Supporters Section

Let us know about your playing habits and rituals! We’ll highlight your best answers next week.

CLUBELEVEN
Aggregates

Rollercoaster of a Game: Brooklyn FC play their home games right next to a few rollercoasters at Luna Park in Coney Island. Of course, we had to try to see if we could watch one of their matches from atop a couple of the rides. This is how it went.

Premier League → College Soccer: Talk about having the greatest resumé in college soccer. This Ohio State freshman has already played on the biggest stage.

Full Battery: Charleston clinched their spot in the playoffs over the weekend… almost two months before the end of the season.

Ref Cam: This camera angle had everyone in a frenzy during the CWC. Well, now it seems it may be getting introduced at this level in America.

International: Always great to see USL players get called up to compete at the international level, especially for a Concacaf powerhouse. Congrats to this LouCity standout!

EVENTS
Attend Cultura FC

From September 25th to 27th, San Diego will host the first edition of CULTURA FC, an international gathering that reimagines the way we live soccer through creativity and design.

The event will bring together leading voices from around the globe to discuss and share the latest cultural trends connected to the world’s most popular sport, in a unique format that blends conferences, art experiences, and networking spaces across different venues in the Southern California city.

The event will feature globally known guests, such as Over The Pitch (Seoul), Anar FC (Shanghai), Ladderice (Bangkok), Diego Guevara (Portland), and the renowned Barcelona-based studio Vasava, among others. Each guest will bring their unique perspective on how soccer serves as the ground for innovation and creativity, creating a space for dialogue that goes far beyond the pitch.

If you’d like to attend this awesome conference, you can grab tickets right here and get a 40% discount by using the code “CLUBELEVEN” at checkout!

Huge shoutout to the Cultura FC team for putting all this together and for extending this offer to the CLUBELEVEN community 🙌

RECORDS
The Youngest Goalscorer Ever

At just 15 years old, Dallas Trinity player Rhea Moore became the youngest goalscorer in Gainbridge Super League and US women’s professional soccer history.

A huge feat, and one made even sweeter by the fact that Rhea is a product of the Dallas Trinity Academy. So awesome to see the path to pro working successfully!

Oh, and the goal was also pretty amazing. Check it out. 

CLUBELEVEN
Your Takes 🗯️ 

Last week, we asked you: What are your feelings toward Inter Miami? Here are some of your answers:

• “People hate on the players too much because of the squad they have and for being stacked. It's not their fault - it's the MLS. The behavior from the final wasn't great, but there were players and staff from the Sounders who also fed the aftermath. In summary, people need to chill out, quit supporting the MLS, appreciate having Messi and those players without being overly obsessive about them either, and watch more USL.” - Nick

• “Neutral. Just another club that happens to have the GOAT, unsustainable player model in my opinion though.” - LS

• “As an Inter Miami fan, this was a complete disgrace. So embarrassing. Completely uncalled for.” - Dario

In the poll, “Negative” won with 70% of the vote, while “Positive”, “Neutral”, and “Other” combined for the other 30%. 

UP NEXT
Dagobah

Good news! The Soccer Bus is resting safely in Orlando after Justin drove it down for maintenance last week.

After a few check-ups, all indications are that our good pal is ready to rise out of the marshes and hit the road again soon.

Music City USA, here we come 🚌 

Enjoying This?

Make sure to forward this email to a friend and help us spread the soccer gospel far and wide! We’ll see you next week with even more untold stories of soccer.

Have a great Tuesday!

Pablo