Game changer: Lay’s RePlay pitch brings hope and opportunity to Chelas
22 May 2025 - Chelas, in eastern Lisbon, is now home to Portugal’s first Lay’s RePlay football pitch – a vibrant new community space designed to empower local young people through the transformative power of sport.
The initiative is part of a global programme led by PepsiCo and Lay's in partnership with the UEFA Foundation for Children, the NGO Common Goal, Lisbon City Council and a local partner, the CAIS Association, which implemented the project on the ground. The inauguration event will take place at an exciting moment for football, in the context of the UEFA Women's Champions League final, which will be held in Lisbon on Saturday, 24 May.
This space for unity and social transformation created by Lay’s seeks to make a valuable impact and drive positive change for future generations on a global scale. Partially built using Lay’s packaging waste, the environmentally friendly pitch will serve as a meeting point for the community, promoting moments of joy and providing a safe and sustainable place to play. The pitch in Portugal will be the 12th Lay's RePlay pitch, joining 11 others around the world.
Lay's RePlay is much more than just a football pitch
Empowering young people and adults alike, Lay’s RePlay is more than a football programme. It offers ongoing educational and vocational support aimed at fostering inclusion and preparing participants for future success.
- For young people: The programme focuses on developing social and emotional skills, teamwork, respect and resilience through sport.
- For adults: It provides career guidance, empowerment workshops and access to job opportunities.
The initiative aims to reach 1,000 community members and deliver over 1,000 hours of activities to create a lasting impact in Chelas.
It is with great pride that we bring Lay's RePlay to Portugal, a project that reflects our vision for a more sustainable and inclusive future. We want this pitch in Chelas to be a meeting point for the community; a place where young people can learn, grow and build a better future for themselves and for the country.
- Paul Jones, PepsiCo Country Manager, Portugal.
Local leadership: CAIS Association
The CAIS Association, a Lisbon-based NGO, plays a key role in the project. Dedicated to improving the lives of people facing social and economic exclusion, CAIS brings its expertise in employability and homelessness to the initiative.
The partnership with Lay's RePlay is a unique opportunity for CAIS to strengthen its work in Chelas, offering young people a safe and inspiring space to grow and develop their potential. Together, we believe that we can build a stronger, more inclusive community with more opportunities for everyone.
- Conceição Zagalo, General Assembly President of CAIS
UEFA Foundation for Children: board visit
On 24 May, the UEFA Foundation for Children’s board of trustees, including the president of UEFA, Aleksander Čeferin, and the general secretary of the foundation, Carine N’koué, will visit the pitch to show their support for grassroots football and community development.
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, social inclusion and access to educational opportunities
- Carine N'koué, General Secretary of the UEFA Foundation for Children
About PepsiCo
Project partner
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated approximately $92 billion in net revenue in 2024, driven by a complementary portfolio of beverages and convenient foods that includes Lay's, Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.
pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for the planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.pt
About CAIS
Project Partner
Founded in 1994, CAIS is a non-profit Social Solidarity Association, recognized as a legal entity of public utility. Its main objective is to contribute to improving the living conditions of citizens at risk of social exclusion, through human dignity, training and employability. CAIS promotes training and employability programs, training and integrating people into the workplace through training, empowerment, autonomy, education and expansion of personal, social and professional skills. https://www.cais.pt/