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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!
Palestine
A football tournament was organised by the Grassroots Department of the Palestine Football Association (PFA) in celebration of AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023.
Staged in Ramallah on May 27, the AFC Grassroots Day Championship comprised 80 participants between the ages of 11 to 15, spread across four teams. As many as 10 coaches were involved, with parents cheering on their children during the matches and all players receiving medallions at the end.
The PFA coaches and Technical Director, Abdalnasser Barakat, also engaged the children in fruitful conversations, which emphasised the positive effect of sports on the academic achievement and school curriculum, as well as advice on how to effectively strike a balance between playing football and educational pursuits.
North Korea
Boys, girls, football coaches and parents all came together to mark AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023 in a novel way in North Korea on May 15 at the East Pyongyang Stadium.
The day got underway with a football technique showcase by 15 boys from Pyongyang International Football School and 15 girls from Pyongyang City Football School, followed by activities that also involved the parents and coaches.
First, each school sent a team with three boys, three girls and five parents to compete in a penalty shootout that was refereed by Sin Yong Chol, General Secretary of the DPR Korea Football Association (DPRK FA).
Thereafter, both schools played a friendly match that had two boys, three girls, three grassroots coaches and four parents on each side, which ensured that each of the 60 children, 20 coaches and 20 parents all had ample opportunities to participate.
DPRK FA President Yun Jong Ho, who officiated the first five minutes of the friendly, remarked in his opening speech that the increasing public interest in football in the country should be harnessed to create a strong foundation for the game’s development, and that more football activities should be organised to engage the wider public.
Singapore
The Football Association of Singapore (FAS) incorporated two segments into their celebration of AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023 on May 13, which was held at their Jalan Besar Stadium headquarters.
First, the FAS’ Coach Education & Development Department held a workshop for 20 grassroots coaches, where they were introduced to the FIFA Football for Schools (F4S) Application by four coach educators. The workshop comprised both theory and practical sessions, where coaches had the opportunity to carry out sessions utilising the F4S Application and think of ways to incorporate it into their future plans.
The latter part of the morning saw around 180 boys and girls, between the ages of eight to 15, participate in a 5-v-5 Football Fiesta. Hailing from the People’s Association, SportCares and various academies, they were involved in three different categories: Under-12 Mixed, Under-15 Girls and Under-15 Boys. Each category comprised a Cup and Plate format, which allowed teams to play as many games as possible.
Players from the Singapore U-19 Women’s National Team as well as Singapore Premier League outfit Young Lions were present to support the fiesta, while Zaki Ma’arof, Deputy Chairperson of the FAS Community Outreach, Grassroots and Volunteer Committee graced the event and was on hand to hand out prizes.
Tajikistan
The Pakhtakor Stadium in Bokhtar played host to a football festival as the Tajikistan Football Federation (TFF) celebrated the 10th anniversary of the AFC Grassroots Football Day on May 15.
About 200 children between the ages of seven and 12 were in attendance, comprising students from the boarding schools of the Vakhsh district, state institutions of sports schools in the Khatlon region, the city of Bokhtar, as well as the districts of Jaloliddin Balkhi and Jayhun.
Various entertaining relay races were held, while several stations on the field allowed participants to perform different exercises and football drills.
Following the enthusiastic participation from the children, they were presented with T-shirts, balls and memorable prizes.
Timor-Leste
A fulfilling morning of activities was put on by the Federação Futebol de Timor-Leste (FFTL) on May 15 in the capital city of Dili in celebration of the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023.
The event brought together 13 grassroots coaches and 150 players of both genders, who were engaged in various football and educational events.
The importance of child protection in football was spotlighted in a child safeguarding session for coaches, who were given insights on how to promote a safe and positive environment for young players.
Players were then divided into several groups to take part in a mini competition involving skill tests and other fun football activities, which allowed them to showcase their abilities and at the same time, allow coaches to observe their progress and identify areas that needed improvement.
The morning was rounded off with a first aid and hygiene education session, which was aimed at educating the players on essential hygiene practices, such as handwashing and sanitisation, as well as basic first aid skills. The coaches also took the opportunity to emphasise the importance of staying safe and healthy while playing football.
Vietnam
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) brought football activities to the SOS Children Village for AFC Grassroots Football Day 2023 on May 19, which saw more than 120 children receive the opportunity to nurture their passion for the game.
Located in Hanoi, the village houses orphans across 16 family homes and has a youth hostel for boys. In addition to taking care of the children’s education, great attention is also given to training, fostering and developing their talents through sports activities, especially football.
The day’s programme witnessed active involvement from the children, who partook in mini games as well as football exchange sessions under two VFF coaches as well as former National Team players Pham Thanh Luong and Do Thi Ngoc Cham, both of whom are grassroots football ambassadors.
Through the activities, the VFF aims to encourage the children to pursue their dreams and passion while at the same time, remove the barriers and disadvantages of the children in gaining access to sport.
The VFF noted that valuable life lessons such as self-discipline, teamwork, social integration and independence can be fostered through football, which can also improve their health and spirits.
