The Chelas neighbourhood in Lisbon is the home of the new sports space which will help drive a social programme for the community's youth, using the beautiful game as a tool for transformation and development.
The inauguration event, which took place on Thursday, May 22, saw the new pitch become the 12th Lay’s Replay that has opened as part of its global initiative, with facilities already launched in countries such as South Africa, the United States, Brazil and Italy, among others.
PepsiCo and Lay's, in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children and the ONG Common Goal, Lisbon City Council and the CAIS Association, made this latest ambitious project a reality, with Portugal women’s star Tatiana Pinto, and former FC Porto, Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona winger Ricardo Quaresma among those in attendance at the opening ceremony.
"I am thrilled to be here in Lisbon to celebrate the UWCL final and the inauguration of the 12th Lay’s RePlay pitch, soon to be home to the next generation of football players," said Quaresma. "Having a place to play football changed my life, and through this initiative, we’re giving young people a safe space to dream, grow, and connect through the power of play. Lay’s RePlay is more than a pitch - it’s a global commitment to community and opportunity for the next generation."
"Partnering with Lay’s to bring the newest RePlay pitch to the Lisbon community and help further pave the way for youth athletes – both male and female – is an amazing opportunity," said Pinto. "This pitch is more than just a place to play. It offers a safe and inclusive environment where young athletes can grow, build confidence, and take part in life-changing educational sports programs. It’s an incredible honour to be here supporting women’s football for the UWCL final while paving the way for the next generation of women in sports."
Lay's RePlayEmpty packets of Lay’s chips have been recycled to help form the underlying layer underneath the astroturf of the new pitch, which will act as a meeting point for the community, promoting moments of joy and values such as gender equality, social justice, sustainability, and employability.
Opened ahead of the UEFA Women’s Champions League final between Barcelona and Arsenal at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Saturday, the pitch will be the centre point of a programme aimed at empowering young people, teaching values such as teamwork, respect, and resilience, and preparing them for a promising future. The initiative aims to benefit 1,000 people and offer more than 1,000 hours of programming for the Chelas community.
Adam Warner, Head of Global Sports and Partnerships at Pepsico, said: “This is much more than a pitch. It becomes a community hub, a focal point for young boys and girls to come together in a safe place. To foster belonging, to foster confidence and build leadership in young people. They’ll have some dreams out here on this pitch and who knows, we might create a superstar of tomorrow."
Lay's RePlayDr Vladimir Borkovic, Associate and Director of Strategic Alliances at Common Goal, said: "At Common Goal, we join the Lay's Replay project to amplify the power of football as an engine for social transformation. By joining forces with PepsiCo and the Chelas community, we are demonstrating that, together, we can create innovative solutions for a more equitable and sustainable future."
Carine N'koue, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children, said: "The UEFA Foundation for Children joins Lay's RePlay to create a positive impact on the lives of children in Chelas. We believe that by providing a safe space to play football, we are promoting their holistic development, their social inclusion, and their access to educational opportunities.
The Lay's RePlay project, which began in 2021, has already delivered more than 15,000 hours of football-based educational programming and have been used over 600,000 times by local communities. The brand plans to continue expanding to new regions of the world in the coming years.