Through the tension and insecurity of life in Palestine, Islam Yasser Al-Sheikh has found that football can anchor both his daily routine and his aspirations for the future.

The 10-year-old boy lives with his parents and five sisters in Marah Rabah, a small town a few kilometres south of Bethlehem. There, Islam’s schedule is well established.

“First, I wake up and go to school. We study, and then we have a PE lesson where my classmates and I have fun. Then we go home, I change my clothes, have lunch and rest. Then I go out and play football with my friends in the school playground,” he said.

“I started playing football when I was six, and I've been playing ever since. I've learned a lot along the way, thank God, and my ambition is to become a professional footballer.”

Islam’s love for the game, not to mention his hope of playing at higher levels, is not unique. But his circumstances can be challenging. Finding free, safe places to gather and play after school can be difficult, which is why the new FIFA Arena mini-pitch in Marah Rabah will be so treasured by Islam, his friends and their community.

The artificial turf facility, which comes with a stunning view of the surrounding homes and hills, is one of two FIFA Arena pitches that opened recently in Palestine. The other is to the north in Qusin. Together, they will provide hundreds of local children with a priceless safe haven that facilitates exercise, play and time with their friends. The impact on Islam will be experienced many times over by kids in areas of need.

“The value of these FIFA Arena facilities will be measured by what happens on the pitches day in, day out,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “For children living in communities where life is often disrupted by restrictions and uncertainty, having a place where they can play football, meet their friends and take part in organised sport matters more than ever.”

Part of the ambitious FIFA Arena project that was launched last year and aims to install 1,000 new mini-pitches globally by 2031, the two Palestinian facilities were developed by FIFA in collaboration with the Palestine Football Association (PFA) and co-financed by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. They were inaugurated this week with the Unite for Peace: Kids’ Cup, an event which brought together 14 Palestinian teams and nearly 160 children. The fields then opened to the public on 25 September.

Islam said he was thrilled after entering the new arena for the first time.

“It felt really good. I felt comfortable, optimistic and excited because we could play on a grass pitch,” he said.

The young centre forward added that the mini-pitch felt like the ideal place to celebrate a goal.

“I celebrate with my teammates. They tell me I'm a good player, and we celebrate together and have fun,” he said. “I'm happy because we now have a grass pitch in Marah Rabah. My teammates and I can play on it without being afraid and without getting injured.”

FIFA’s engagement with the PFA and Palestinian football transcends the FIFA Arena facilities. Funding from the FIFA Forward Programme has been used on substantial maintenance and upgrades to the Faisal Al-Husseini International Stadium, the PFA’s home venue, and other initiatives.

Last February, FIFA and the Board of Peace signed a landmark partnership agreement that will funnel international investment toward constructing a complete football ecosystem – including infrastructure, structured community programmes and sustainable economic opportunity – in Gaza.

Those efforts support the big picture. But individual dreams start small. Islam now has a place to play, which is what football at its foundation is all about.

“Thank you to the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and FIFA for helping us build this pitch in Marah Rabah, so that my teammates and I can play here safely, freely and in peace,” he said.