FIFA President Gianni Infantino has congratulated Fiorentina on the opening of the ‘world-beating’ Viola Park facility he says will propel the Italian club “firmly into the future”. Located to the east of Florence, Viola Park will provide the club’s men’s, women’s and youth teams with optimal conditions in which to train and prepare for games. The women’s and youth teams will play competitive matches on some of the centre’s ten pitches, one of which can welcome up to 3,000 spectators. “The challenge nowadays for all clubs is to modernise while respecting football's great traditions, and this new training ground and club headquarters will take Fiorentina firmly into the future,” said the FIFA President in a video message shown during the inauguration ceremony. “Viola Park is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility. It represents an investment – not only for professional football, but also for youth football – and I am especially pleased that the women’s teams will also have use of these facilities.”

Club staff have office space at the location, which also boasts media facilities and a chapel. “I had the chance to visit Viola Park last year, when it was still under construction, and I was really impressed by what I saw. I have visited many sports centres, but this one that my very dear friend [Fiorentina owner] Rocco [Commisso] has built here, is a world-beater and I can't wait to come back to Florence to see the finished version,” said Mr. Infantino, who travelled to the picturesque Italian city for the 100th anniversary of the birth of former FIFA vice-president Artemio Franchi in April 2022. “Florence is a city that boasts world-famous monuments and it is no exaggeration to say that it has just gained another one. Of course, this is a more modern monument and, this time, it is thanks to the wonderful game of football.”