Gianni Infantino celebrates Chad’s first-ever FIFA Arena

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has celebrated the inauguration of Chad’s first FIFA Arena in Koumra, describing the grassroots facility as an important step towards expanding access to football for children.

Infantino shared the message on Instagram following the inauguration of the mini-pitch at School 15 in Koumra, congratulating the Chadian Football Association, government officials and football lovers across the country.

“Congratulations to everyone at the Chadian Football Association led by President Tahir Oloy Hassan, Minister of Youth and Sports Naïr Abakar and all football lovers in beautiful Chad on the inauguration of a FIFA Arena mini-pitch in Koumra,” Infantino wrote.

“This will change the lives of hundreds of children in the surrounding areas, taking us closer to our target of installing 1,000 mini-pitches globally by 2031.”

Infantino also highlighted Chad’s involvement in FIFA’s Football for Schools programme, which was launched in the country in 2023.

“Chad launched FIFA’s Football for Schools initiative in 2023,” he said, while also referencing FIFA’s partnership with the World Trade Organization aimed at improving livelihoods and empowering cotton producers in several African countries.

“Equally, FIFA is fully committed to further supporting football development in Chad through the FIFA Forward programme and by providing more playing opportunities for your women’s and men’s national teams at all age levels,” he added.

The FIFA President has previously stressed the importance of ensuring that children around the world have access to safe places to play football, particularly those living in disadvantaged communities.

“Every girl and every boy who wants to play football deserves to be able to do so in a safe place, where everyone can learn, play, and grow,” Infantino said.

“That’s the whole purpose of the FIFA Arena project: to make sure that generations of children around the world, especially those from disadvantaged urban and rural areas, get the chance to enjoy and play the sport we all love.”

The Koumra facility is the first FIFA Arena in Chad and is expected to benefit around 5,000 children. The country plans to eventually establish 23 FIFA Arenas across its regions, with a second facility expected to be inaugurated in the coming months.

The wider FIFA Arena project targets the installation of 1,000 mini-pitches globally by 2031.