FIFA is working with the Swiss government to finance community football pitches in the West Bank

The Swiss government teamed up with FIFA on Thursday to donate 120,000 Swiss francs ($149,000) to help finance the construction of community football fields in the West Bank.

Switzerland-based FIFA said the money from the country’s foreign ministry was intended to «enable the construction of the facilities and support a broader long-term commitment to restoring access to football across the region.»

The FIFA statement did not specify or speculate on how access to the football fields was lost.

The pitches known as the “FIFA Arena” are “designed to be safe, sustainable spaces for communities who do not have access to sport,” according to world football’s governing body. “The first two FIFA Arena mini-pitches will be combined with a dedicated training program for children, creating safe play spaces that promote inclusion and personal development.”

There are plans to install eight more in Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of the global FIFA Arena project. FIFA said a total of 30 mini pitches have been opened in 15 countries since March.

“FIFA expresses its deep gratitude to the Swiss government for this important contribution and looks forward to continuing this joint effort to recover, rebuild and bring hope – step by step,” said President Gianni Infantino.

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Infantino attended a global summit on the future of Gaza last month in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. There he pledged to FIFA to «help rebuild all football facilities in Gaza and Palestine. We will bring football back to every corner of the country.»

FIFA is also investigating two formal complaints by the Palestinian Football Federation against Israeli football.

In October last year, FIFA asked its disciplinary body to investigate claims of discrimination by the Israeli football federation. FIFA’s governing panel was asked to advise whether teams from Israeli settlements in the West Bank playing in national competitions had breached the governing body’s statutes.

No timetable has been set for FIFA panels to report. The next FIFA congress of 211 member federations is scheduled for April 30 in Vancouver, Canada.

Published on November 27, 2025