Why Switzerland Joined Trump-Friendly FIFA To Fund Mini Pitches In Palestine

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Switzerland is giving FIFA money to build football pitches in Palestine as“safe spaces” for children. Amid continued violence in the region, some wonder whether this is the best way to meet young people's most urgent needs. Select your language

Generated with artificial intelligence. Listening: Why Switzerland joined Trump-friendly FIFA to fund mini pitches in Palestine This content was published on April 21, 2026 - 09:00 10 minutes

Reporter specialised in Swiss foreign affairs, with a side hustle as a sub-editor in the English Department. Previously my focus was on disinformation and fact-checks, which I still produce occasionally.

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When a group of world leaders met in Washington in February to talk about Gaza at US President Donald Trump's newly created Board of Peace, they were treated to a short video. In it, a shiny new football stadium rises from the ashes of shelled-out buildings as the narrator declares:“A simple ball. A shared field. A reason to believe again.”

With that, football world governing body FIFA announced plans to raise $75 million and buildExternal link 50 mini- and five full-sized pitches, a national stadium and a football academy in the war-ravaged territory. Investing in the sport, FIFA president Gianni Infantino told delegates, would help“the recovery process”.

Just a few months earlier, with less fanfare, the organisation had revealed another initiative, this one in partnership with Switzerland, to build ten mini pitches in Palestine and Israel.

These“safe spaces”, the foreign ministry told Swissinfo, will make a“concrete contribution to improving everyday life for children and youth”. With financing worth CHF60,000 (about $76,500) per pitch, it is the ministry's first such partnership with FIFA, and one that some experts believe can offer benefits.

“Mini pitches are not merely places to play – they are safe havens providing psychological and social support,” said Tamara Awartani, director of Gaza-based NGO Palestine Sports for Life. These spaces, she explained, can allow children to vent stress caused by conflict, form friendships and experience joy.

Connor Spreng, who heads the Swiss Academy for Development (SA4D), a non-profit that offers sports and play-based programmes for children, agreed. But he cautioned that, to succeed, such a project“has to consider the context carefully”.

The situation in Palestine is complex. FIFA has come under fire for allowing Israeli football clubs to play on land seized from Palestinians in the West Bank. In Gaza, violence continues despite a ceasefire agreed in October, while humanitarian NGOs struggle to maintain a presence amid Israeli government restrictions.

'Safety is most important thing'

FIFA reportedly approached Switzerland about funding the mini pitches last summer. The foreign ministry said it undertakes“thorough risk assessments” for projects, and the likelihood of benefits for local kids outweighed potential harms.

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