Families in Scranton will soon have another place to play soccer at Weston Field.

This week, the city received a $100,000 grant grant to install a small soccer ‘mini-pitch.’

“The City of Scranton is grateful to the US Soccer Foundation and Philadelphia Soccer 2026 for this gift of a mini soccer pitch. We’re going to be putting it here, right at Weston Field, and the beating heart of sports and recreation in Scranton,” said Mayor Paige Cognetti, (D) Scranton.

Mayor Paige Cognetti says the funding for the project comes from Philadelphia Soccer 2026’s legacy initiative. It’s a branch of the nonprofit that is hosting World Cup matches this summer in the city of brotherly love.

“So this gift from the US Soccer Foundation is because we are a FIFA Fan Zone. So FIFA, when they go around with the World Cup, they try to leave legacy projects throughout the countries that they’re in. So we were aggressive in looking to get one of these mini pitches because we are a fan zone here in Scranton. So this is perfect for us. This will be a legacy item that we will have here in Scranton long after the World Cup is over,” said Mayor Cognetti.

Earlier this year, state officials announced that Scranton will be one of three Pennsylvania World Cup Fan Zones that will host watch parties for some of the soccer games.

The investment for the mini-pitch is one of many projects at Weston Field. The city says improvements have already been made, and some are still in the works.

“We had the new pool last year. We have the new skate park, which you have people of all ages using. This mini pitch will be in addition to the soccer field we already have, so you could have adults playing on the main soccer field, kids under 10 utilizing that mini pitch at the same time. We’re gonna be redoing the basketball courts here. We have so many projects right here at Weston Field and throughout the city to make sure that there’s something for everyone in Scranton,” Cognetti explained.

Giving fans who travel to the city for the global event and those who call it home a place to play for years to come.