Goalrilla Joins love.fútbol for 100th Global Safe Play Space

From a single community-built field in Guatemala to vibrant play spaces across five continents, love.fútbol has spent nearly twenty years proving that every child deserves safe, joyful, and accessible places to play. This year, the global nonprofit reached a major milestone: the completion of its 100th safe play space, located at Hissey Playground in Kensington, Philadelphia. For a neighborhood deeply affected by the opioid crisis, poverty, and gun violence, the revitalization of this space represents more than an upgrade, it symbolizes hope, resilience, and the power of community.

As part of this milestone, Goalrilla wanted to support love.fútbol’s vision of creating safe, accessible places for kids to play. To help bring the revitalized Hissey Playground to life, Goalrilla contributed four perforated steel backboard fixed-height hoops, a Dream Bigger Basketball and two Striker Trainers. This equipment will help ensure that young athletes in Kensington have durable, high-quality resources as the space becomes a hub for recreation and connection.

Drew Chafetz, CEO of love.fútbol, shared the heart behind the milestone: “This belongs to every child who has ever needed a safe place to play, and every community that’s fought for one. Kensington embodies both the challenges and the hope at the center of our mission, showing what’s possible when a community comes together to reclaim space, dignity, and joy.”

love.fútbol’s mission began in 2006 with its first field in Villa Nueva, Guatemala. What started as a grassroots effort quickly grew into a global movement spanning 23 countries and more than 40 partner organizations. Over time, the organization has helped transform underused, unsafe, or inaccessible areas into thriving centers of connection and pride. The completion of the 100th play space in Kensington arrives at an important moment as the world’s attention shifts toward North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Although love.fútbol is not an official legacy partner, the organization’s work embodies the spirit of the tournament by demonstrating soccer’s ability to unite communities and spark long term, meaningful impact.

The new Hissey Playground space will serve as a vibrant gathering place for youth and families. The redesign includes two 70-by-150-foot small sided turf soccer fields that can host youth 7v7 games or simultaneous small sided matches. Basketball courts have been resurfaced, repainted, and re-lined, and new backboards and rims have been installed to support more accessible recreational play. A mural by Philadelphia artist Odili Donald Odita brings color, identity, and artistry to the space, transforming the playground into a landmark that blends sport and creativity.

 

The 100th play space also marks the official launch of love.fútbol’s next chapter: the “100 Projects. Every Child.” campaign. This global storytelling and fundraising initiative celebrates nearly two decades of community led impact while laying the groundwork for the next 100 projects. The campaign features a new short film tracing the organization’s path from Guatemala to Philadelphia, a storytelling series highlighting communities across five continents, and a community celebration and youth tournament at Hissey Playground.

This milestone reflects the efforts of countless partners, including the Pincus Family Foundation, City Councilmember Quetcy Lozada, Project Backboard, Urban Soccer Park, Impact Services, Kensington Soccer Club, Street Soccer USA, The Sports Creative, and supportive initiatives like JDS Sports’ Play with Purpose and Goalrilla. Together, these groups worked alongside residents and community leaders to turn an underused piece of land into a hub of belonging, connection, and opportunity.

As the United States prepares to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026, love.fútbol is doubling down on its commitment to building a meaningful legacy, not through stadiums, but through neighborhoods. The organization’s vision is clear, safe play should be a universal standard for every child, in every town, in every city around the world. Through community led projects and global collaboration, love.fútbol aims to ensure that safe play is not a privilege but a right.

Since 2006, love.fútbol has co-created 100 community driven safe play spaces across 23 countries, serving hundreds of thousands of children. Each project represents far more than a place to play it stands as a testament to what communities can build when they come together with shared purpose, creativity, and hope.

To learn more about their organization visit this link: love.fútbol.