Post by FIFA

The United States has its first-ever FIFA Arena 🇺🇸 🏟️ The city of Birmingham, Alabama, celebrated a historic milestone ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ - Canada, Mexico and the United States, with the official opening of the first FIFA Arena facility in the US. A parallel FIFA Arena was also unveiled in Oakland, California, reflecting a shared national commitment to invest in communities through the game. The Birmingham venue was delivered through a collaboration between FIFA, the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) through its Soccer Forward programme, the Soccer Forward Foundation, local professional club Birmingham Legion FC, and KultureCity. The project is part of a global commitment to install at least 1,000 mini-pitches by 2031 to provide sustainable football infrastructure, particularly for those living in disadvantaged inner-city or rural areas. “As is common in many regions across the world, football in Alabama is built mainly around youth participation and has a large, organised and growing grassroots ecosystem. Through the FIFA Arena, we, along with our partners in constructing this facility, can provide them the opportunity to do so,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/eyaDTv_B