FIFA President Gianni Infantino promised even more FIFA Arena mini-pitches will continue to spring up around the world when he opened the first temporary mini-pitch in Paris, France, as the project goes mobile.

Situated on the world-famous Place de la Concorde in the heart of the French capital, the mini-pitch was opened with a celebratory match that featured the FIFA President, FIFA Legends and guests, marking the start of three days that will highlight the need for football infrastructure globally.

Established following a pledge Mr Infantino made at the International Summit on Sports for Sustainable Development in Paris in July 2024, FIFA Arena helps address that need as it aims to establish 1,000 new permanent mini-pitches globally by 2031. Mr Infantino has now announced the project will have even further reach.

“Today we're launching a new initiative – a mobile FIFA Arena. We already have FIFA Arenas, which are just like this one. We want to build thousands of them around the world. We already have dozens covering every continent, and we're going to build thousands. But there's also the possibility of setting up temporary FIFA Arenas to promote football and provide a space for young boys and girls so they can play football safely, in the right conditions,” said Mr Infantino, who officially launched FIFA Arena at the 75th FIFA Congress in Asunción, Paraguay, in May 2025.

“Last week, less than seven days ago, a FIFA Arena was built in Fiji, which means that today we have FIFA Arenas in six continents. We will build even more. But this arena here, Place de la Concorde, Paris, where FIFA was founded 122 years ago, is a symbol of the building of these FIFA Arenas in disadvantaged areas, in spaces next to schools, in beautiful places like here. We want to build FIFA Arenas everywhere, so that children can play football safely.”

Working in cooperation with Impulstar, who have organised annual small-sided football tournaments in the Paris suburbs since 2010 to help bring communities together, FIFA has fully funded the three-day installation of the mini-pitch.

“I’d like to start by congratulating FIFA and the FIFA President for these initiatives, because they go to the heart of football’s values. They allow people all around the world to play football. By doing this, we show that everyone can play the game,” said French Football Federation (FFF) President Philippe Diallo, who highlighted how FIFA is working with the FFF to install FIFA Arenas on La Réunion and Mayotte after cyclones devastated facilities there. “Everyone should be able to play close to their home – everywhere, no matter if you are wealthy or not. We’re especially happy because this project with FIFA is having a tangible impact, with this FIFA Arena.”

FIFA’s Paris office overlooks the mini-pitch on Place de la Concorde and is located in the building where the French men’s national team celebrated their FIFA World Cup 1998™ victory in front of hundreds of thousands of their compatriots.

“We started on the street, like everyone else. And later, we became world champions here, in ‘98. So, it always starts with a dream,” said Youri Djorkaeff, who was part of that France team and is now a FIFA Legend and FIFA Senior Football Advisor. “And what FIFA, the FIFA President, and Impulstar are giving us, is an opportunity to start the dream today.”

“As Youri rightly said, we all started out on the streets, and I think (fellow FIFA Legends present Emmanuel) Ade(bayor) and Khali(lou Fadiga) can say we played with socks, or even bottles, cans of Coca-Cola. We played on small pitches like that, the kind FIFA is going to modernise everywhere now,” FIFA Legend and former Senegal international El Hadji Diouf told the crowd, which included a large number of children from teams located in the Paris suburbs. “I think that’s a very good thing, for Africa and for the whole world.”

The event in Paris will raise awareness globally as hundreds of thousands of local residents and tourists pass the site daily. Visitors to the Paris installation will be able to learn more about FIFA Arena and Impulstar, while a number of events are planned across the three days. These include a training session with FIFA Legends and a gala game between influencers, while a tournament for teams of players aged 14 to 16 will round off the event on Tuesday, 24 March.

“I just want to congratulate Impulstar – these two young lads here are doing exceptional work,” said Mr Infantino, referring to co-founders Meïssa N’diaye and Bernard Messi who have transplanted their concept from the Paris suburbs into South America and Africa and soon into Asia too. “We are happy and proud to be able to work together to provide these opportunities for all these children to play football. And for the adults as well!”

The FIFA President concluded by calling for support to increase the impressive momentum behind FIFA Arena still further.

“We want to build them all over the world, and we should also remind everyone who wants to help us build some all over the world that they can contribute and help via the FIFA Foundation and other FIFA projects,” said Mr Infantino. “FIFA Arenas don't cost that much – about USD 50,000 each. So, to all our potential partners: please come and help us. The more we have, the more we can build, especially in the places where they're most needed, next to schools, in towns, in villages, all over the world.”