By: Tshidiso Masopha
On 15 September I wrote “Changing the game Jozi’s gets it very first Football Pitch”
This week, the city officially opened its first full-size football field in a century… and it’s not just grass and goalposts – its hope. Welcome to the Field of Dreams: a state-of-the-art sports precinct built to change the game for inner-city youth. The project was developed by Maharishi Invincibility Institute (MII) and Standard Bank, in partnership with Italtile, the BW Cares Foundation, and powered by community movement Jozi My Jozi.
Located near the M1 Selby offramp on land provided by Standard Bank, the Field of Dreams is a world-class facility in every sense – featuring spectator stands, netball and basketball courts, change rooms, and a clubhouse. For many young people who have only known the streets as their “playing field,” this is life-changing.
This isn’t just about football.
It’s about belonging, safety, and possibility.
A Green Beacon in the Concrete Jungle
Taddy Blecher, CEO of MII, summed it up simply: Field of Dreams is an investment in tomorrow. “This is more than just a football field. Johannesburg once mined gold from the ground – now we’re discovering something far more valuable: the potential inside our youth.” He added that the Field of Dreams forms part of a bold vision known as Education Town – a growing inner-city campus where thousands of young people will study, train, meditate, play sport, and gain real-world career pathways. Standard Bank echoed the mission. Executive Head of Group Real Estate, Nkosinathi Manzana, explained: “This is a space where education meets play… and where talent meets opportunity. We’re serious about uplifting sports from grassroots level upward.”
A City Moves Together
The movement behind the project in its entirety is just as powerful. Jozi My Jozi continues to drive collaboration between the private sector, communities, and government to reclaim the inner city – street by street, project by project. “When organisations come together with purpose, we don’t just talk about change – we build it,” said Bra Swanepoel, Jozi My Jozi CEO.
Dreams Under Construction
This facility will host league matches, training programmes, community events, and youth development initiatives – giving inner-city kids first-hand access that will transcend any TV subscription. For Standard Bank, this is not a branding exercise. It’s long-term thinking. “We’re not just investing in land. We’re investing in human potential – and the future of Johannesburg itself.” And that’s the truth.
The Field of Dreams stands as a bold reminder that the inner city, which is widely considered as broken, may actually be bursting with promise. What was once empty gravel is now fertile soil for greatness.
The post Joburg’s Inner City Just Got Its First Proper Football Field in 100 Years – And It’s Bigger Than Sport – By Tshidiso Masopha appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News.
This week, the city officially opened its first full-size football field in a century
The post Joburg’s Inner City Just Got Its First Proper Football Field in 100 Years – And It’s Bigger Than Sport – By Tshidiso Masopha appeared first on The Home Of Great South African News. Read More
