News article
Cairo welcomes new football pitch made from crisp packets
The UEFA Foundation for Children, potato chip brand Lay’s, PepsiCo Egypt, Common Goal, Aspire and the Association for the Protection of the Environment from Pollution (A.P.E) have joined forces to create a sustainable football pitch in Cairo by reusing crisp packets.
Egypt has become the latest country to benefit from Lay’s RePlay initiative, following similar projects in South Africa, England, Brazil, Italy, Mexico and the US.
UEFA Foundation for Children General Secretary Urs Kluser said: “This is a fantastic way to bring children together in a safe place and give them access to sport through the Chipsy RePlay pitch. It creates strong bonds between children. Together, we have created a place to inspire young people and teach them the values of respect, discipline, and teamwork through the magic of football.”
The new pitch is part of a wider relationship between PepsiCo Egypt, A.P.E and Aspire to develop education sporting programmes. Lay’s RePlay was first introduced in 2021 with a sustainable RePlay pitch in South Africa.
"Together, we have created a place to inspire young people and teach them the values of respect, discipline, and teamwork through the magic of football.”
Crisp packets make up 32% of the pitch’s composition while the rest of the materials and installation aspects have been chosen to help minimise environmental impact, preserve biodiversity and benefit local communities in each respective country.
Former Egyptian international and Lay’s RePlay ambassador Mido added: “I am honoured to be part of RePlay, a project that is providing communities across the globe with the opportunity to fall in love with football, just like I did. As someone who has personally experienced the transformative power of sports, I know how important it is to give everyone, especially youth the chance to discover their potential and pursue their dreams.
“RePlay is making that possible, and I am proud to be a part of it. Together, we can inspire the next generation and create a world where everyone has the opportunity to succeed and enjoy the beauty of the game.”
Image: Jack Krier on Unsplash