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Member Associations (MAs) across Asia joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to commemorate the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023 which celebrated its tenth anniversary in May this year.
Join AFC Media for the first part of a series that highlights all the celebrations that took place across the Continent!
Kyrgyz Republic
Approximately 250 students in the city of Batken observed the 2023 edition of the AFC Grassroots Football Day which was organised by the Kyrgyz Football Union (KFU) for children between the ages of six and nine.
The event received overwhelming support from the school teachers of the region and included several interesting activities which aimed to instill among children, a lifelong love for football.
Besides engaging the youngsters in different football activities such as hosting the Children’s Football League and teaching them basic skills, the KFU also organised a sit and draw competition on the theme “My favorite football Kyrgyzstan” among the participants where the 12 best artists were presented with medals.
Laos
In the Bolikhamsai district of Laos, 10 primary schools worked together with coaches of the region to put smiles on the faces of approximately 300 children through various programmes as part of their AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023 celebrations.
The main goal of the festivities was to motivate the youngsters to take an interest in the sport and develop a life-long love for the game.
While teaching the children basic football skills formed an integral part of the event, the Laos Football Federation (LFF) directed their efforts more towards imparting life lessons such as discipline, team spirit, social inclusion, and respect to the young minds.
Malaysia
The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) commemorated the 10th AFC Grassroots Football Day by organising a series of activities, aimed at promoting grassroots football in the country.
With a focus on nurturing young talent and fostering community participation, the event encompassed two engaging sessions where in the first half a Football Clinic was set up and under the guidance of experienced coaches, over 200 children between the ages of 10 and 12, were taught several basic football skills such as first touch, 1v1 drills, and small-sided games.
The second half featured an exciting addition to the annual celebrations where a mixed football session was organised, allowing adult men and women to play together.
This inclusive approach was geared towards encouraging individuals to nurture their love for football and promote social inclusivity. With 60 adults enthusiastically taking part, the activity was an excellent example of the manner in which football brings people together.
Nepal
The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) coordinated with its District Football Associations (DFAs) to celebrate the AFC Grassroots Football Day across five different places in the country.
The programmes were designed to reach as many people as possible in order for grassroots football to thrive and positively impact the local communities, as well as create a strong foundation for the future.
In the hilly district of Sindupalchwok, there was a week-long football festival that began on May 13, with four more districts joining in on May 19 and 20.
ANFA General Secretary Kiran Ran kicked off the celebrations at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato, with the districts of Sunsari, Dhanusha and Kaski also joining in.
A total of 780 participants between the ages of six to 12 enjoyed the various activities, where they received footballs and T-shirts. In addition, they were educated on child safeguarding concepts alongside coaches and parents.
By conducting the festivities in different areas, the ANFA was able to garner more public interest in football and engage numerous children of diverse ethnicity.
Northern Mariana Islands
Mini festivals were held over the course of three days by the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association to mark AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023.
Public school students and club players took part in the first two days, with the festivals situated at Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School and Garapan Elementary School on the mornings of May 18 and 19 respectively.
A total of 353 students from first to third grade were involved alongside 20 teachers, who helped to conduct fun drills at five different stations together with coaches.
The third festival on May 20 was organised at the Northern Mariana Islands Soccer Training Centre, with 20 Northern Mariana Islands National Team players involved in conducting drills for 112 Under-8 and 114 Under-10 club players.
Boys and girls from six different clubs – Kanoa FC, Tan Holdings FC, Shirley’s FC, Southern United FC, and Matansa FC – were able to partake in six different stations, run by over 60 coaches and support staff, spread across a full-sized pitch.
