FIFA Arena Meknes. Photo Credit: Direction Provincial De L’éducation Nationale. Meknes/ Facebook
Morocco is set to deploy thirty (30) FIFA Arena mini-pitches across the Kingdom as part of a partnership described by FIFA as “unique, unprecedented and historic.” The initiative aims to expand access to football at grassroots level by integrating safe, durable and inclusive playing facilities into key community spaces, particularly public schools.
A nationwide program focused on schools and proximity sports
Designed as neighborhood-based facilities, the FIFA Arena mini-pitches will be installed primarily within public educational institutions, in coordination with national and regional education authorities. These compact, modern pitches are intended to provide children and young people with regular access to football in a secure and structured environment.
By targeting schools as priority locations, the program seeks to anchor football practice within both school and extracurricular settings, encouraging physical activity from an early age while reinforcing the educational and social values associated with sport.
A strategic agreement signed at the Mohammed VI Football Complex
The initiative is based on a cooperation agreement signed last Sunday at FIFA’s Africa Office, located at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maâmoura, near Salé. The agreement was signed by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa, Morocco’s Minister of National Education, Preschool and Sports Mohamed Saad Berrada, and Faris Derrij, Director of the Strategic Business Unit Mining, representing OCP Group.
This multi-stakeholder partnership reflects a shared commitment to leveraging football as a tool for education, youth development and social inclusion.
Football as a driver of education and social development
According to FIFA documentation, the project forms part of a broader vision to strengthen the link between sport, education and social development. The program aims to promote regular physical activity among children and adolescents, foster civic values, and support social cohesion through sport.
Beyond infrastructure, the initiative is designed to create a lasting educational and social impact by embedding football within a structured learning environment that supports discipline, teamwork and inclusion.
Morocco positioned as a pilot country for FIFA Arena in Africa
The deployment of FIFA Arena mini-pitches will position Morocco as a pilot country for the program in Africa. It also reinforces cooperation between institutional, sporting and private-sector stakeholders, while showcasing an internationally visible model that links sport, education and social impact.
The stated objective is to build a sustainable legacy that benefits future generations and strengthens Morocco’s role as a regional reference in sports development.
A global initiative with social and health objectives
At the global level, the FIFA Arena program aims to build more than 1,000 mini-pitches worldwide. Its ambition is to ensure equitable access to football for children and young people, while using sport as a lever for education, social inclusion, health promotion and community cohesion.
