On the eve of the FIFA World Cup 2026 kick-off, Mexico officially unveiled its first FIFA Arena mini-pitch at the Octavio Paz School in the municipality of La Paz, State of Mexico — approximately 30 kilometres from Mexico City Stadium, where the 23rd edition of the tournament opened.

A legacy beyond the stadiums

The facility is the first of eight FIFA Arena mini-pitches to be constructed through a three-way partnership between FIFA, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the Mexican Football Association (FMF). FIFA and the FMF also plan to build two additional mini-pitches under the standard FIFA Arena framework, bringing Mexico's total to ten community-focused football facilities nationwide.

The pitches are designed to serve as hubs for sports-based social programmes in disadvantaged areas, ensuring that the legacy of the FIFA World Cup reaches far beyond the tournament's host stadiums.

Dignitaries and legends on the pitch

The inauguration drew a distinguished crowd, including FIFA's Chief Member Associations Officer Elkhan Mammadov, FIFA's Regional Director for the Americas Jair Bertoni, FMF Executive President Ivar Sisniega Campbell, IDB Chief of Staff André Soares, and FIFA Legends Hristo Stoichkov and Fernando Hierro. Around 200 children attended the event and played alongside Stoichkov and Hierro, who signed autographs for the young fans.