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™.
Cape Town, March 15th, 2024: 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 Chaid 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.
An award-winning illustrator, graphic designer and street artist who has worked on some of South Africa’s best known murals, including the Soweto Water Towers, Vereeniging-born Karabo has also collaborated with some of the world’s biggest brands, including designing shoes worn by basketball legend LeBron James.
“This is one of my biggest installations of murals yet and design elements are made up of historical and cultural elements of South Africa, capturing the country’s exuberant spirit. With its rich history, football culture in South Africa is deeply ingrained and reflects the nation’s diversity and resilience. Football is more than a sport. In Mzansi it’s a communal experience that fosters unity and pride and that’s what I wanted to communicate with my murals,” said Karabo Poppy.
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.
“FC FUTURES is a very exciting project, and I am delighted to be able to support it. It’s essential to continue inspiring our own society and the world through the values of football and, with the help of LALIGA AD EA SPORTS™, projects & initiatives such as these are key to achieving this,” said FC FUTURES Ambassador, Nasief Morris.
Adds Tresor Penku, LALIGA’s Managing Director for Africa: “There is no doubt that positive changes take place when people relate to each other through sport and football is a major contributor to this phenomenon. LALIGA is fully committed to FC FUTURES and celebrates the tangible outcomes it delivers. We anticipate continued success in collaboration with EA SPORTS™, as we remain dedicated to giving back to society.”
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NOTES TO EDITOR
ABOUT KARABO POPPY
Karabo Poppy Moletsane is an illustrator, graphic designer, and street artist. Poppy was born in Vereeniging. She studied at Open Window Institute in Pretoria and has done work for the Wall Street Journal, Google, Coca-Cola, Kit Kat, Budweiser, and Nike, including designing shoes worn by LeBron James. She has created the graphics for the first African series on Netflix, Queen Sono, and When They See Us.
ABOUT LALIGA
LALIGA is the largest football ecosystem in the world. It is a private sports association, made up of 20 football clubs/SADs in LALIGA EA SPORTS™ and 22 in LALIGA HYPERMOTION, and is responsible for the organization of professional and national football competitions. It has over 200 million followers on social networks globally, across 16 platforms and in 20 different languages; and has the most extensive international network of any sports property, through which it is present in 41 countries and 11 offices, with headquarters in Madrid (Spain). The association is socially active through its Foundation and is the first professional football league in the world with a competition for players with intellectual disabilities: LALIGA GENUINE.
ABOUT EA SPORTS™
EA SPORTS™ has defined interactive football for 30 years and has built a global football community of more than 150 million people across multiple platforms, a community that EA SPORTS™ FC will now continue to expand alongside partners who share the common goal of a fan-centric football future. Built on a foundation of inclusion and innovation, fans will experience unrivalled authenticity with access to over 19,000 fully licensed players, 700 teams and 30 leagues, supported by over 300 global football partners enabling further expansion into new areas around women’s and grassroots football.
