Creating a shared space that brings together the key elements of the local community: the school, the pastoral community and the football club. With this aim, Italy’s first FIFA Arena was inaugurated this afternoon at Vigor Milano’s sports centre in Paderno Dugnano. The project is a tangible example of how football can unite different parts of a community and create new opportunities for children and young people. Those attending the ribbon cutting ceremony included Aimane Zourhlal, FIFA Arena Project Coordinator; Marco Ferri, FIFA MA Europe Regional Coordinator; FIGC Secretary General Marco Brunelli; FIGC Youth and School Sector Secretary Vito Di Gioia; and local representatives, including Paderno Dugnano Mayor Anna Varisco, Giovanni Paolo II Pastoral Community Parish Priest Dino Valente, and S. Allende Comprehensive School Principal Antonella Maria Caniato.

BRUNELLI. FIGC Secretary General Marco Brunelli spoke at the event: “I’m delighted to be here today. What I see before me is a wonderful initiative, bringing many of the messages so often associated with football to life in a clear and tangible way. Thanks to FIFA for making all this possible, and thanks to the Municipality of Paderno Dugnano, the parish community and Vigor Milano: we have found the perfect partners. As a resident of Lombardy, I know what this club means to the local community, and that makes me happy, even beyond the institutional role I hold. This same project will be found in every corner of the world. It truly shows that football brings people together and that, when everyone works as a team, fantastic results can be achieved.” Paderno Dugnano Mayor Anna Varisco echoed his words: “Thank you to everyone involved. This project opens the city up to its community and represents a tremendous opportunity. It is called the ‘game’ of football, and the chance to play the game will be hugely popular. Every part of the community will benefit.”

Representing FIFA as MA Europe Regional Coordinator, Marco Ferri added: “This project is extremely valuable to FIFA. I would like to thank all the institutions involved, because it required a great deal of coordination between everyone. The project is built around a simple principle: giving boys and girls the opportunity to play football in a welcoming and safe environment. I would tell the children to enjoy themselves, respect the facility, and keep dreaming. When we talk about football, dreaming is the most important thing. This project shows how football can unite the world.” The FIFA Arena initiative follows a commitment made by FIFA President Gianni Infantino at the Sport for Sustainable Development summit in Paris to expand access to football around the world. With the aim of building 1,000 mini-pitches by 2031, the programme is being rolled out across all 211 FIFA member associations, creating safe, accessible, and free spaces where children can play, particularly in disadvantaged communities. FIFA Arenas are designed as more than just playing fields: they are inclusive community hubs that promote health, give young people a voice, encourage gender equality, and strengthen football’s role as a driver for positive social change.

THE PASTORAL COMMUNITY. The location of the FIFA Arena in Paderno Dugnano was chosen for its strategic position and strong ties to the local community. The sports centre is located within the grounds of the Cardinale Colombo Oratory, which is part of the San Giovanni Paolo II Pastoral Community, just a short distance from Mazzini Primary School (IC S. Allende). This area on the outskirts of Milan also has limited social infrastructure, making the FIFA Arena an important opportunity to provide additional space for sport, education, and social interaction. “This is a perfect example of the principle of subsidiarity,” said Dino Valente, Parish Priest of the San Giovanni Paolo II Pastoral Community. “We all grew up playing football at the oratory. Opening up this space even further is at the very heart of building a community.” The facility stands on land owned by the Pastoral Community, which brings together five parishes and involves around 450 children: S. Maria Nascente (Paderno), SS. Nazaro e Celso (Dugnano), S. Maria Assunta (Incirano), Sacra Famiglia (Villaggio Ambrosiano) and Maria Immacolata (Calderara). Over the years, Vigor Milano has worked closely with the entire Pastoral Community on several social projects. “What we see today is the realisation of a major project, a dream becoming reality,” said Vigor president Giovanni Esposito, visibly moved. This partnership will also give children taking part in the Pastoral Community’s sports programmes the opportunity to use the FIFA Arena for football activities.

SCHOOL ACTIVITIES. Education and football will go hand in hand, building on the existing partnership between Vigor Milano and Mazzini Primary School (IC S. Allende). The facility will be available to the school’s approximately 420 pupils, aged between six and eleven and divided into 19 classes, during school hours. The FIGC Youth and School Sector will further strengthen this link by giving the school access to its Valori in Reteschool football programme. The FIFA Arena will also help develop football coaching skills: the Youth and School Sector will offer all technical staff at the Pastoral Community’s sports centres free access to the Grassroots Level Etraining course, which provides basic knowledge for adults working with children who do not hold a coaching licence. “We were delighted to be part of this agreement,” added Antonella Maria Caniato, Principal of S. Allende Comprehensive School. “Opening ourselves up to the community and to the work each of us does is fundamental. We are creating value for the local area and for pupils across all the schools.”