From packs to pitches: Sabritas RePlay arrives in Iztapalapa

For several years, the Mexican crisp brand Sabritas, (a subsidiary of PepsiCo) has focused on building strong ties with the football community, and now it has joined the global RePlay initiative, created by Lay’s in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children and the Fútbol Más Foundation, to give a second life to Sabritas packs while filling the world with smiles for all and generating positive results for the planet and people.

To this end, Sabritas has partnered with the Fútbol Más Foundation, PepsiCo Foundation Mexico and the UEFA Foundation for Children to build a new pitch in the community of Iztapalapa. This football field will host sports programmes and workshops led by the Fútbol Más Foundation with a view to motivating young people in four key ways: creating a sense of belonging, increasing commitment, promoting the safety of the community and guaranteeing access to sport.

“More than a football pitch, we have built a space that brings joy to the community where they can come together and enjoy moments of fun, happiness, motivation, and empowerment while promoting inclusion and sports. We are immensely proud of this initiative; it is an opportunity to continue to encourage positive change for the people and their environment. With this pitch, we seek to bring to life our brand’s purpose of bringing joy to communities by combining a passion for football with a social cause and creating a space where everyone can play and grow,” commented Hernán Tantardini, vice-president of Sabritas.

Ignacio Gomez, executive director of Fútbol Más in Mexico, added: “We are so excited to give a new life to this pitch, and now it’s time to start executing our educational sporting programmes to provide tailor-made support to the local community and drive positive change for generations to come.”

RePlay is a global initiative launched by the Lay’s brand in 2021 with the creation of the first sustainable RePlay pitch in South Africa. Having seen its positive social impact, the corporation set out to create more all over the world. RePlay pitches have already been built in Italy, Brazil, the UK and Mexico and more countries will follow in the coming years.

“Few things are as inspiring as putting sports at the service of communities. Here at the UEFA Foundation for Children, we believe that this is essential to ensure the holistic development of young people, especially those who grow up in underprivileged communities. With this in mind, RePlay has become one of our most consistent programmes, and bringing this new pitch to Mexico allows us to continue spreading our message,” said Urs Kluser, general secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children.

Oribe Peralta, a UEFA Ambassador and one of Mexico’s best-known football players, attended the inauguration event and shared his thoughts on this joyful occasion for the local community:

"It's an honour to be supporting the launch of the Sabritas RePlay pitch. I am sure this pitch will have a positive impact, uniting the community through the power of football, helping them to learn, grow, develop confidence and teamwork, and of course have fun. I have been able to experience first-hand the impact that sports can have on people's lives, and thanks to this initiative, people will be able to find in football a safe and fun place.”

Finally, the event had a special surprise for the community with the visit of the UEFA Champions League trophy (known locally as the ‘Orejona’), one of the world’s most revered football trophies. Special guests and members of the local community were able to take photos of the trophy and enjoyed an afternoon spent participating in the different activities that will bring smiles and joy to this renewed space.