The Bolivian Football Association has opened its first FIFA Arena mini-pitch in Munaypata, north-west La Paz
At 3,800 metres above sea level, it is the highest mini-pitch delivered by the project to date
Forty boys and girls from local sports schools also received football boots through FIFA’s Boots for All Programme
Set against the imposing, snow-capped Illimani mountain, the Bolivian Football Association (FBF) has opened its first FIFA Arena mini-pitch in La Paz. At 3,800 metres above sea level in the Munaypata neighbourhood, it is the highest FIFA Arena mini-pitch completed so far.
“This is an emblematic neighbourhood in La Paz, the city we call the ‘City of Heaven’. The fact that it’s the highest FIFA Arena pitch in the world is a source of great pride for all Bolivians. With the continued support of FIFA and local institutions, we hope to help children and young people like those with us here today fulfil their dreams,” said FBF President Fernando Costa.
The mini-pitch sits at the heart of a lively community. In fact, seven schools lie within a one-kilometre radius, many of them without access to a comparable sports facility. In its first year, it is expected to benefit between 700 and 1,500 children and young people, with 300 to 500 using it regularly.
Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA Director of Member Associations, highlighted the project’s significance. “Football development is not simply about building infrastructure; it is about putting it where it can make a real difference. Through FIFA Arena, we work with our member associations and local partners to create more opportunities in the communities that need them most.”
La Paz Mayor César Dockweiler was also among those attending the opening. “When boys and girls share a pitch like this, they learn lessons that can help them grow into good men and women. Here, they do more than play sport; they also learn lessons for life. And, of course, they can develop their talent and, in the near future, represent Bolivia,” Dockweiler said.
The event was also attended by Jair Bertoni, FIFA Director of Member Associations Americas; FBF Development Director Pablo Escobar; Rafael Arias, FIFA Development Lead at the Regional Office in Asunción; FIFA Arena Team Lead Niko Nhouvannasak; and Carlos Gutiérrez, Development Manager at the FIFA Regional Office in Asunción, alongside other guests and local families.
Bolivia inaugurates the world’s highest FIFA Arena mini-pitch in La Paz
“This FIFA Arena mini-pitch is not only the highest in the world; it’s now part of a community with more than 60 years of football history. Surrounded by seven public schools, it’s difficult to imagine a more fitting place to bring this project to life,” Bertoni said.
“Generations have grown up playing football in Munaypata. Now, a new generation of boys and girls will have a quality space where they can play, learn, grow, build friendships and embrace values such as teamwork and respect, while writing their own stories through football,” he added.
Launched after FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a commitment at the International Summit on Sport for Sustainable Development in Paris in July 2024, the FIFA Arena initiative aims to create 1,000 new permanent mini-pitches by 2031.
In Munaypata, FIFA contributed the specialised materials needed for the FIFA Arena mini-pitch, including synthetic turf and dedicated fencing, while also providing technical expertise, supervision and support throughout the project.
The local town council laid the foundations for the mini-pitch and carried out the necessary improvements to the surrounding area, while the FBF coordinated with FIFA and the local authorities and monitored progress.
After the agreement between the FBF and the municipality was signed, and with music provided throughout by the Eduardo Cabade Municipal Band, 40 boys and girls from local sports schools received football boots through FIFA’s Boots for All Programme. Launched in March 2026 as a pilot project, the programme aims to provide football boots to disadvantaged children around the world.
The ceremony then welcomed a special guest in the form of world freestyle champion Sean Garnier, who teamed up with José Menacho (ten-time Bolivian champion and three-time international champion in the discipline) to put on a freestyle show for the children and some of the adults.
Pablo Escobar, the former Bolivia captain and coach who now works as FBF Development Manager, even accepted Garnier’s challenge despite wearing a blazer and smart shoes, drawing applause from those in attendance. The boys and girls then took over the pitch and threw themselves into the game, keeping the day going long after the formal ceremony had ended.