New York’s little Ronaldos and Mia Hamms will be playing on new and improved fields soon.
The mayor’s office announced a partnership Tuesday with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, the New York City Football Club, and Adidas that will create and maintain 50 soccer fields in underserved communities across the city.
The $3 million investment will also create after school programs for children who are interested in playing the sport.
“In the city of immigrants, with so many different languages and cultures, the New York City Soccer Initiative will be one of the great tools we use to unify young New Yorkers,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in a statement.
The new fields, some of which will be open sometime next year at schools and public playgrounds, will be created to ensure they are functional year-round, according to the mayor’s office.
The first eight locations include East New York, the Cypress Hills Houses, Glen Oaks, the South Jamaica Houses, Mott Haven, Staten Island and Harlem.
