New mini-pitch for Sweden
Friday, October 8, 2004
Article summary
UEFA President Lennart Johansson's home country has received a UEFA Golden Jubilee gift.
Article body
Solna ceremony
The opening ceremony for the prototype mini-pitch took place in the Stockholm suburb of Solna, just a few hundred metres from the national Råsunda stadium, and was attended by Mr Johansson.
Football for fun
"Our aim is to give children better opportunities to play football for fun. Today, spontaneous football is not seen very often. We would like to give the children some space to practise and play," Mr Johansson said at the opening.
First in Sweden
The Solna pitch is the first of its kind in Sweden. "But in a few months or so we will have at least 80 mini-pitches in our country. That is our goal right now. This whole idea is brilliant," said Sune Hellströmer, general secretary of the Swedish Football Association.
Golden Jubilee
UEFA's HatTrick Board has decided to offer a prototype mini-pitch (21mx13m) to each UEFA member association, as European football's governing body celebrates its Golden Jubilee. The mini-pitch in question should be installed near to the association's headquarters and possibly close to, or on the premises of, a school.
