Grassroots
The latest edition of the annual celebration was commemorated on May 23, in alignment with FIFA’s World Football Week, enabling the AFC to further contribute to the United Nations’ Football for the Goals initiative and the advancement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Join us at the-AFC.com for the third part of a series that highlights all the celebrations that took place across Asia!
Laos
The Lao Football Federation (LFF) celebrated the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2025 on May 22 with games and basic training sessions for 200 boys and girls from six primary schools in the Xekong Province.
Supervised by 12 coaches, participants had the opportunity to enhance their abilities in a fun, safe and non-competitive environment as well as develop necessary life skills such as teamwork and discipline.
The coaches, along with 20 parents, also attended a child safeguarding workshop, which focused on ensuring that football remains a safe environment for all children.
Lebanon
The Lebanese Football Association (LFA) marked the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2025 by organising two vibrant festivals across the regions of Mount Lebanon and the South.
The first event, held in Barja Village, brought together six sports academies representing four surrounding villages, while the second in the South saw participation from 16 academies across 12 villages.
A total of 290 children took part in the festivals, accompanied by coaches and parents who contributed to the lively and inclusive atmosphere, which was marked by a series of fun football activities.
Additionally, as part of the celebrations, the LFA handed out medals and trophies to the participants and also recognised coaches who had completed their D Coaching Course with certificates, further underlining the Federation’s commitment to grassroots development and coach education.
Macau
More than 300 children participated in the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2025 festivities in Macau, jointly organised by the Macau Football Association (AFM) and the Sports Bureau of Macau on May 25 at the Campo D. Bosco seven-a-side artificial pitch.
Guided by 20 coaches, the enthusiastic participants were divided into various age groups to compete in five-a-side matches, including mixed-gender games that encouraged inclusivity and teamwork.
Commemorative medals were awarded to all participants as a token of recognition, adding to the celebratory spirit of the occasion, which successfully promoted the values of grassroots football by providing a fun, engaging environment for children to build both their football skills and interpersonal communication.
Nepal
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The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) celebrated the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2025 in grand fashion on May 24, welcoming over 500 children and 30 grassroots coaches to the ANFA Complex in Satdobato.
Under the theme “Football for All: Safe, Inclusive, and Impactful”, the event featured a wide array of activities, including football clinics, small-sided games, skill drills, mixed-gender relays, and creative sessions such as football-themed art and storytelling.
In addition to the football festivities, ANFA hosted interactive child safeguarding workshops and set up booths focused on environmental awareness, health, and community engagement, bringing together not just children but youth leaders, educators, parents, media, non-profit organisations, and local government representatives in a collective effort to promote the role of football in holistic development.
Northern Mariana Islands
The Northern Mariana Islands Football Association (NMIFA) celebrated the 12th edition of the AFC Grassroots Football Day by welcoming close to 500 third-grade students and teachers from six schools to the Northern Mariana Islands Soccer Training Center in Koblerville, Saipan.
The event adopted a festival-style format, with rotating drill stations designed to introduce children to various aspects of football in a fun and inclusive environment.
For nearly half the participants, it marked their first visit to the facility, while for many, their first experience playing organised football, across two full-sized pitches and a mini-pitch.
Teachers and aides actively supported the sessions, playing an essential role in extending the impact of the event beyond the field and into the school community.
The vibrant celebration embodied NMIFA’s mission to expand the reach of the game and reaffirmed its commitment to grassroots football development across the region.
Tajikistan
The Tajikistan Football Federation (TFF) commemorated the AFC Grassroots Football Day 2025 with a lively football festival on May 23 at the Central Republican Stadium in Dushanbe.
Around 250 children aged between seven and 12 participated in a series of engaging activities, including relays, skill stations, competitions, and mini-matches. In recognition of their enthusiastic involvement, each child received T-shirts and footballs as souvenirs of the day.
The event reflected TFF’s ongoing efforts to popularise football among the younger generation, while also reaffirming the nation’s strong commitment to the growth of grassroots football in alignment with international development initiatives.
Vietnam
Aimed at nurturing sustainable development through gender equality, the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) commemorated the AFC Grassroots Football Day on May 16 with a festival at the Tu Do Stadium in Hue.
Led by former national player and grassroots football ambassador Do Thi Ngoc Cham, 150 children from the SOS Children’s Village Hue, Immanuel Hue Community FC and Hue University enjoyed games that included group tag, dribbling, shooting and ball juggling.
The event looked to promote grassroots football in the community and raise awareness of children’s rights and safety, while also instilling participants with valuable life lessons on discipline, teamwork and independence.
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