Chad opens first FIFA Arena pitch to boost youth football
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Chad inaugurated its first FIFA Arena pitch in Koumra, a city in the southern part of the country, on Wednesday.
The new facility, installed at School 15, represents the first of a planned 23 FIFA Arenas that the Chadian government intends to build across all regions of the country. This initiative aims to provide children nationwide with equal access to safe and quality sports facilities.
The Koumra arena will benefit approximately 5,000 children by offering a safe, accessible, and free place to play football. Numerous dignitaries attended the opening ceremony, including Chad’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Naïr Abakar, and FIFA representatives like Gelson Fernandes. FIFA launched the Arena project in May 2025, committing to build 1,000 mini-pitches globally by 2031. The program seeks to create inclusive community spaces that promote youth empowerment and gender equality through football.
Chad joins other African nations, including Algeria, Morocco, and Rwanda, in receiving FIFA Arenas as part of this effort to expand access to the sport worldwide.
