Thirty FIFA Arena mini-pitch facilities will be built and deployed throughout the Kingdom of Morocco, under a recently signed partnership described as “unique, unprecedented, and historic” by the international football governing body.
Mini-football pitches that are local, sustainable, safe, and accessible, designed to be integrated into key living spaces, particularly schools, these structures will mainly be installed in public schools, in close coordination with national and local education authorities.
According to a FIFA document, “this unique, unprecedented, and historic partnership is part of a shared vision to strengthen the link between sport, education, and social development, putting football at the service of Moroccan youth.”
Its objectives are to integrate football into school and extracurricular activities on a long-term basis, encourage regular physical activity among children and young people, and promote the educational, civic, and social values of sport.
This partnership will enable Morocco to position itself as a pilot country for the FIFA Arena program in Africa, strengthen cooperation between institutional, sporting, and private actors, promote the Moroccan model linking sport, education, and social impact internationally, and create a lasting legacy for future generations.
Similarly, this partnership will contribute to bolstering school sports and education through sport, promoting the physical, mental, and social development of students, creating sustainable sports infrastructure in public schools, and promoting inclusion, equal opportunities, and social cohesion, in addition to aligning with national public policies on education, youth, and sport.
The related agreement was signed last week at FIFA’s Africa office at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmoura (near Salé) by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) Fouzi Lekjaa, Moroccan minister of National Education and Sports Mohamed Saad Berrada, and Director of SBU Mining Faris Derrij, representing the OCP Group.
The FIFA Arena program is a global initiative led by the international football governing body, with the objectives of building more than 1,000 FIFA Arenas around the world, ensuring equitable access to football for children and young people, using sport as a tool for education, social inclusion, health, and community cohesion, and leaving a lasting legacy at the heart of local communities.
