Work Commences on Installation of Pakistan’s First FIFA Arena Pitch in Lahore

The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) is proud to announce that work has officially commenced on the installation of the country’s first FIFA Arena pitch, located at a government school in Lahore’s Sabzazar locality.

This milestone marks a defining moment in the development of grassroots football infrastructure across Pakistan as the PFF enters into partnerships with provincial governments and the public education sector.

The FIFA Arena is a standardised, high-quality mini pitch designed to make the game accessible in schools, neighbourhoods, and public spaces. The installation of the first pitch in Lahore is part of a broader infrastructure drive that has seen two FIFA Arena pitches arrive in the country.

The realisation of this first pitch on Pakistani soil is a testament to the strategic vision of PFF President Mohsen Gilani, whose sustained advocacy at the highest levels of Asian and world football has transformed institutional intent into concrete, community-level impact.

“Football must be accessible to every child and as the custodian of football in Pakistan, it is my commitment to every Pakistani child that we’ll provide them with the opportunity to play,” said President Gilani. “This pitch in Lahore is the first of many. Work on the second will commence soon in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and more pitches are on their way to Pakistan.”

This progress builds on engagements at the highest level of the game. Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa had previously conveyed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan that both governing bodies stand ready to support Pakistan’s football infrastructure ambitions — a commitment the federal government reciprocated by pledging full facilitation, including public school partnerships for these projects.

As a result of this coordinated engagement between Pakistani football leadership, the AFC, and FIFA, a total of 11 FIFA Arena pitches have already been approved, with the PFF having formally requested 15 additional pitches to accelerate the programme’s reach nationwide.