Kuala lumpur: Malaysia is among the first FIFA member associations to launch a mini-pitch under the FIFA Arena project, which aims to create over 1,000 new small-sized playing surfaces for the benefit of children worldwide.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the Sri Kelana Primary School here was picked as the first school in this country to be part of the initiative pledged by FIFA president Gianni Infantino at the Sustainable Sports Summit in Paris in July last year.
Infantino, who inaugurated the project here today, believes that it will have a domino effect that can attract other entities to build this kind of project nationwide. He stated, “This should just be an example of something we can do for children, and when people see it, they will want to have FIFA Arenas all over the country.”
He emphasized the collaborative effort required to expand the initiative, saying, “We are here to help put this in place, to prepare a joint project with the government, FAM (Football Association of Malaysia), and FIFA to make many, many more of these fields in Malaysia.” Infantino made these remarks at a press conference attended by Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and FAM honorary president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin.
Infantino also mentioned FIFA’s commitment to expanding grassroots access to safe and inclusive football facilities through the FIFA Arena initiative. This involves constructing over 1,000 mini pitches globally by the end of next year. The organization has already begun construction in about 20 countries, with several more underway.
Each FIFA Arena mini-pitch is constructed with sustainability in mind. Local contractors install specialist synthetic turf and perimeter fencing, while FIFA provides the pitch system and offers training, guidance, and tools for ongoing maintenance. The mini pitch specifications include high-quality artificial grass mini pitches with goals, walls, and nets, on a 20×40 metre (m) playing surface.
FIFA initiated the FIFA Arena project at the Georgian Football Federation’s (GFF) Varketili Football Centre in Georgia last April. The initiative aims to provide more playing opportunities for children in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to foster inclusivity through football globally.