Artist Karabo Poppy Partners with Laliga & EA Sports™ in Murals that Celebrate SA’s Football Roots

Mzansi’s vibrant football culture captured in art by Karabo Poppy on Africa’s only five-a-side football pitch for development platform, FC FUTURES, in collaboration with Spanish football league, LALIGA, and video game developers, EA SPORTS™.

World-renowned South African visual artist, Karabo Poppy, has created murals on one of the biggest canvas’ of her career: the surrounds of a five a side football pitch over-looking the iconic coastline of Clifton, Cape Town. In collaboration with Spanish football league, LALIGA, and video game developers EA SPORTS™, the art installations were revealed at the launch of the FC FUTURES grassroots development platform yesterday.

The event was attended by Karabo Poppy as well as MC, Chad Saaiman, LALIGA Managing Director for Africa, Tresor Penku, and FC FUTURES Ambassador and former Bafana Bafana, Panathanaikos and Recreativo de Huelva defender, Nasief Morris. As part of the launch, children from Morris’ newly launched N5 Football Academy, were treated to a training session, where they learnt tricks and tips to develop their skills.

Representing Africa, the Fives Futbol pitch in Clifton, Cape Town, is one of four FC FUTURES pitches to be launched globally, including Mexico, Spain and Singapore.

An initiative between LALIGA - the world’s largest private sports organisation, present in over 41 countries and head-quartered in Madrid, Spain - and video game developer EA Sports, LALIGA FC Futures was launched on the recent release of the first EA Sports FC title and has long-term plans to meaningfully invest in football at a grassroots level, in many different regions across the globe.

This includes pitch restoration, increasing access to football playing facilities for young people, donation of equipment, training of coaches and, in collaboration with the South African Football Association, LALIGA will work together to select players who will have the remarkable opportunity to journey to Spain where they will not only undergo world-class training at the LALIGA Academy Madrid but also receive top-notch education.

 

March 15, 2024