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.
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.
“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.
“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,” he told a press conference here today.
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Also present were Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh and FAM honorary president Tan Sri Hamidin Mohd Amin.
Infantino also said that the world football governing body’s commitment to expand grassroots access to safe and inclusive football facilities through the FIFA Arena initiative involves the construction of over 1,000 mini pitches globally by the end of next year.
The 55-year-old said FIFA has already begun construction in about 20 countries, with several more underway.
Each FIFA Arena mini-pitch is built with sustainability in mind whereby local contractors install specialist synthetic turf and perimeter fencing, while FIFA delivers the pitch system and provides training, guidance, and tools for ongoing maintenance.
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Mini pitch specifications include high quality artificial grass mini pitches with goals, walls and nets, 20×40 metre (m) playing surface.
FIFA kicked off FIFA Arena at the Georgian Football Federation’s (GFF) Varketili Football Centre, Georgia last April.
The initiative’s ambition is to provide more playing opportunities for children in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and to foster inclusivity through football globally. – Bernama
