Rwanda: Rwanda has become the sixth African country to benefit from the FIFA Arena project initiative with the inauguration of a mini-pitch in Kigali. The state-of-the-art pitch was inaugurated on Monday, March 30, 2026, at Kagarama Secondary School, located in the Rwandan capital, marking a significant milestone for the East African nation. Rwanda joins Algeria, Djibouti, Liberia, Morocco, and Niger as beneficiaries since the launch of the global project.
According to Ghana Web, this inauguration is particularly noteworthy as it represents the first project delivered under the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between FIFA and the Agence Fran§aise de D©veloppement (AFD). This collaboration is aimed at driving sustainable football infrastructure and social impact initiatives. As part of the partnership, Rwanda will benefit from the construction of 10 FIFA Arena pitches across the country. The additional nine sites identified for the project include St Joseph (Muhanga), TTC Save (Gisagara), GSOB (Huye), GS Kabare (Ngoma), ES Nyamirama and IPM Mukarange (Kayonza), College Inyemeramihigo (Rubavu), College SINA Gerard (Rulindo), and Lyc©e de Kigali (Nyarugenge).
The project is expected to have a positive impact by providing youth from various communities with the opportunity to play football, while also promoting social inclusion and personal growth. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstr¶m inaugurated the mini-pitch, accompanied by Rwanda's Minister of Sport Nelly Mukazayire, President of Rwanda Football Federation Fabrice Shema Ngoga, and Country Director of AFD Anthea Manass©, among others.
Also present were pupils from the host school, Kagarama Secondary School, and surrounding communities who will directly benefit from the facility.