{"id":7847,"date":"2026-01-31T08:31:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T08:31:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/?p=7847"},"modified":"2026-04-30T10:44:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-30T10:44:03","slug":"ranjith-rodrigo-spearheads-grassroots-development-with-new-ffsl-mini-pitch-in-negombo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/ranjith-rodrigo-spearheads-grassroots-development-with-new-ffsl-mini-pitch-in-negombo\/","title":{"rendered":"Ranjith Rodrigo Spearheads Grassroots Development with New FFSL Mini Pitch in Negombo"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"rr-post-container\" style=\"font-family: 'Inter', sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #333;\">\n<p style=\"font-size: 1.1em; font-weight: 500; color: #1a1a1a;\">Marking a historic milestone for Sri Lankan football, <strong>Honorable Ranjith Rodrigo<\/strong> participated in the foundation laying ceremony for the <strong>&#8220;FIFA Arena&#8221; Mini Pitch<\/strong> in Negombo.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<style type='text\/css'>\n\t\t\t\t#sc_gallery-1 {\n\t\t\t\t\tmargin: auto;\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t#sc_gallery-1 .gallery-item {\n\t\t\t\t\tfloat: left;\n\t\t\t\t\tmargin-top: 10px;\n\t\t\t\t\ttext-align: center;\n\t\t\t\t\twidth: 16.66%;\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t#sc_gallery-1 img {\n\t\t\t\t\tborder: 2px solid #cfcfcf;\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t#sc_gallery-1 .gallery-caption {\n\t\t\t\t\tmargin-left: 0;\n\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\/* see sc_gallery() in functions\/theme-shortcodes.php *\/\n\t\t\t<\/style>\n\t\t<div id='sc_gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-7847 gallery-columns-6 gallery-size-thumbnail file'><dl class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t\t<dt class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-1.jpg'><img data-opt-id=2065328584  fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"Ranjith Rodrigo Spearheads Grassroots Development with New FFSL Mini Pitch in Negombo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-1.jpg 150w, 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href='https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:auto\/h:auto\/q:mauto\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-5.jpg'><img data-opt-id=1365350438  data-opt-src=\"https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-5.jpg\"  decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20viewBox%3D%220%200%20150%20150%22%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22150%22%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%3E%3Crect%20width%3D%22150%22%20height%3D%22150%22%20fill%3D%22transparent%22%2F%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E\" class=\"attachment-thumbnail size-thumbnail\" alt=\"\" old-srcset=\"https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:150\/h:150\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-5.jpg 150w, https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:250\/h:250\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-5.jpg 250w, https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:85\/h:85\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/dpr:2\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-5.jpg 85w, https:\/\/mluwsmmu62ar.i.optimole.com\/cb:LMwf.745\/w:80\/h:80\/q:mauto\/rt:fill\/g:ce\/f:best\/dpr:2\/https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Ranjith-Rodrigo-Spearheads-Grassroots-Development-with-New-FFSL-Mini-Pitch-in-Negombo-5.jpg 80w\" \/><\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/dt><\/dl>\n\t\t\t\t<br style='clear: both' \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n<div style=\"clear: both;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background: #f4f7f6; border-left: 5px solid #0056b3; padding: 20px; margin: 25px 0;\">\n<h4 style=\"margin-top: 0; color: #0056b3;\">A Global Pilot Initiative<\/h4>\n<p style=\"margin-bottom: 0;\">Sri Lanka is proud to be one of only <strong>three Asian nations<\/strong> selected for the pilot phase of this FIFA global project. This installation is part of FIFA&#8217;s ambitious vision to establish 1,000 mini-pitches worldwide to increase inclusive access to the beautiful game.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h3>High-Profile Delegation &amp; VIPs<\/h3>\n<p>The foundation stone was officially laid by <strong>Sugath Tilakaratna<\/strong>, Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs, alongside a distinguished delegation including:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"list-style-type: none; padding-left: 0;\">\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\">\ud83d\udd39 <strong>Hon. Ranjith Rodrigo<\/strong> \u2013 SAFF Vice President &amp; Former FFSL Head<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\">\ud83d\udd39 <strong>Jaswar Umar<\/strong> \u2013 President of the FFSL<\/li>\n<li style=\"margin-bottom: 8px;\">\ud83d\udd39 The <strong>Mayor of Negombo<\/strong> and local NPP Lawmakers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Strategic Community Impact<\/h3>\n<p>Funded via <strong>FIFA Forward 3.0<\/strong>, this facility at the Negombo Youth Sports Club grounds is a culmination of Ranjith Rodrigo\u2019s strategic vision for grassroots empowerment. The &#8220;FIFA Arena&#8221; is specifically designed to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Provide underprivileged children and local schools with <strong>free, safe access<\/strong> to modern turf.<\/li>\n<li>Act as a community hub to promote <strong>discipline and leadership<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Combat local youth challenges by offering <strong>sports-based healthy lifestyles<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"border-top: 1px solid #eee; padding-top: 20px; font-style: italic;\">Construction is moving expeditiously, with the facility expected to be handed over to the public within the next month, further solidifying the football legacy of the Negombo region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Marking a historic milestone for Sri Lankan football, Honorable Ranjith Rodrigo participated in the foundation laying ceremony for the &#8220;FIFA Arena&#8221; Mini Pitch in Negombo. A<span class=\"excerpt-hellip\"> [\u2026]<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7869,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rs_blank_template":"","rs_page_bg_color":"","slide_template_v7":"","rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","two_page_speed":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[34,574,27,9,535,533,25,29,526,30,37,17,539],"tags":[582,575,576,579,581,580,577,578],"class_list":["post-7847","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ffsl","category-ffsl-2026","category-ffsl-events-news","category-ffsl-president","category-fifa-football-association","category-football","category-football-development-program","category-negombo-football-league","category-negombo-youth-fc","category-negombo-youth-sc","category-ranjith-rodrigo","category-ranjith-rodrigo-ffsl-president","category-ranjith-rodrigo-personal-events","tag-fifa","tag-fifa-arena","tag-fifa-forward-3-0","tag-grassroots-football","tag-negombo","tag-negombo-sports-development","tag-ranjith-rodrigo","tag-sugath-tilakaratna"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7847","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7847"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7847\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7879,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7847\/revisions\/7879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7869"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7847"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7847"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ranjithrodrigo.com\/official\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7847"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}