A New Pitch for Brooklyn’s Youth
The New York City Soccer Initiative (NYCSI) recently unveiled a brand‑new mini‑soccer pitch at JHS 62 Ditmas in Brooklyn, completing the first of 26 planned sites that the organization pledged to deliver by 2026. The opening ceremony highlighted the project’s link to the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026, positioning the city’s grassroots soccer network as a lasting legacy for young athletes.
NYCSI first launched in 2016 with a $3 million commitment to construct 50 mini‑pitches across the five boroughs. By 2021 the original goal was met, and partners agreed to double the effort, adding another 26 fields to celebrate the World Cup milestone. The initiative now counts 76 pitches in total, each designed to offer free, safe spaces for play and community development.
Partnerships Powering Progress
The expansion relies on a coalition of civic and corporate partners, including New York City FC, the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City, Etihad Airways, Judi Health, and the Department of Education. Together they deliver programming that has already reached more than 20,000 young people and aims to serve a cumulative audience of 50,000 by 2026.
City in the Community, the outreach arm of the initiative, coordinates free soccer clinics, mentorship sessions and health workshops that run alongside each new pitch. Officials say the spaces do more than provide a place to kick a ball; they foster teamwork, physical activity and a sense of belonging for neighborhoods that previously lacked recreational infrastructure.
Rolling Out Across the Boroughs
Ten of the new sites have already opened or are slated to open in 2026, with the remaining seven locations distributed across The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Each pitch follows a standardized design that blends modern surfacing, lighting and seating, ensuring accessibility for players of all ages and abilities.
Beyond the fields themselves, NYCSI’s vision extends to long‑term community benefits. By embedding free programming in schools and community centers, the initiative seeks to create a sustainable soccer legacy that encourages healthy lifestyles and strengthens neighborhood ties for years to come.