Official inauguration took place at the Bolívar Technical Vocational School in Grecia canton, Alajuela province
2,000 girls and boys from schools, grassroots football programmes and youth clubs will benefit from the two mini-pitches
“We are planning to build three more and reach at least five in our first phase,” said Jair Bertoni, Director of the Member Associations Subdivision (Americas)
The Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF)’s goal of improving children’s future across the nation has taken a major step forward with the inauguration of the country’s first football mini-pitches in vulnerable communities, delivered with FIFA support. Costa Rica has thus become the first Concacaf Member Association (MA) to join the FIFA Arena project.
FIFA and the FCRF have been working on the FIFA Arena project since late 2025, and on 2 February 2026 it became a reality with the official inauguration at the Bolívar Technical Vocational School in Grecia canton, Alajuela province. This is one of the two communities selected for the launch, alongside Santa Cruz canton in Guanacaste province (Santa Cruz High School).
These public schools will help foster football development at its earliest stages, with around 2,000 girls and boys from schools, grassroots football programmes and youth clubs in these communities and surrounding areas set to benefit from the new sports facilities. One distinctive feature of the initiative was the active participation of the students themselves, who volunteered in the construction of their own pitch.
The inauguration was attended by Elkhan Mammadov (FIFA Director of the Member Associations Division), Jair Bertoni (Director of the Member Associations Subdivision (Americas)), and Aimane Zourhlal (General Coordinator of the FIFA Arena project). The FCRF was represented by their President, Osael Maroto, General Secretary, Gustavo Araya and Football Development Director, Gabriel Porras. Government representatives included Costa Rica’s Minister of Sport and Recreation, Donald Rojas, and the Administrative Vice-Minister for Public Education, Sofía Ramírez.
“Normally, we start by developing two pitches in each country. This is the first one in Costa Rica, and we are planning to build three more and reach at least five in our first phase,” said Mr Bertoni, noting that additional mini-pitches are planned for later this year in communities such as Aserrí, Turrialba and Upala. “We are pleased to see the commitment shown by both the federation and the government.”
“Infrastructure has always been a barrier and a limitation. These types of pitches make a huge difference for football practice in places that lack facilities, such as this community,” said FCRF President Maroto. “I am sure that many girls and boys will be able to enjoy them.”
The FIFA Arena initiative delivers on the commitment made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Sport for Sustainable Development Summit held in Paris, France in July 2024, when he announced FIFA’s objective to build football mini-pitches around the world, with the aim of reaching 1,000 by 2031.
Aligned with initiatives such as Football for Schools and the FIFA Forward Programme, the FIFA Arena project arrives in Costa Rica with a firm commitment to using football as a tool to teach values and promote a healthy lifestyle.
For Costa Rica, this marks another promising step for their football. After successfully hosting the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022™, the country now aims to join the bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2031™ as part of a joint candidature with the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) and the Jamaica Football Federation (JFF).