Youth Development
Endorsed at two-star status in October 2024, the CFA received the upgrade to the highest category following a comprehensive evaluation last month, which also awarded three-star membership to the Shandong Luneng Taishan Football School, Shanghai Shenhua FC Academy and Zhejiang FC Academy – making them the first club academies in China PR to reach this tier.
Conducted by AFC Youth Panel Member Michiteru Mita, who was supported by AFC Deputy Technical Director Takeshi Ono, the four-day on-site assessment of the facilities
and training programmes in Shanghai revealed a “transformative shift” in the East Asians’ youth development landscape since the previous evaluation.
A key initiative undertaken by the CFA is the transition from the "16 Key City Project" to a comprehensive nationwide five-tier competition structure. This includes the Chinese Youth Football League (CYFL), an integrated league system under which school football, national academies and professional club academies are brought together under a singular competitive umbrella. The CYFL is bolstered by technical decisions that are underpinned by extensive data analysis and Technical Study Group activities, as well as a sophisticated digital management platform that tracks player data, coach management and scout reports to provide high transparency and logic for talent identification.
It was further noted that the collaborative framework that has been established between the CFA and its leading professional club academies in the pursuit of long-term football development serves as a benchmark for club-Member Association (MA) cooperation for the region.
The report highlighted Shanghai Shenhua FC Academy’s unique playing identity that blends Chinese and Portuguese youth development principles, the "Okada Method" and the "Academy Syllabus 1.0"—a self-revised guide four years in the making—of the Zhejiang FC Academy and the renowned "Tactical Periodisation" methodology of Shandong Luneng Taishan Football School.
“The CFA has taken a remarkable first step towards establishing an integrated competition structure despite the considerable challenges posed by the country's size and diversity,” the assessors said. “The sustainability of the CFA's leadership and strategic direction will be essential to ensure that the significant progress achieved to date continues to evolve and strengthen over time. Closer collaboration between the Youth Development and Coach Education will further support the creation of a development environment that prioritises the long-term growth of players and prepares them to compete successfully at the highest international level.”
CFA President Song Kai expressed delight and pride at the conferment of the three-star membership, saying: “This official accreditation stands as full testament to the remarkable progress made by these three youth academies. Their accomplishments span the establishment of structured youth development frameworks, the roll out of integrated academic and football training programs plus the upgrade of supporting facilities; comprising training pitches, sports science research and professional medical service systems. All of this is part of the long-term cultivation of elite young talent.
“For the CFA, this milestone recognition also marks a landmark breakthrough in our commitment to prioritising youth football development at the heart of our work. We have continuously refined our youth training strategic blueprint and collaborated closely with professional clubs to foster a holistic, long-term sustainable ecosystem for youth football across the country.”
The new addition of the CFA takes the AFC Elite Youth Scheme’s three-star membership to nine MAs, joining Australia, Japan, Korea Republic, Qatar, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam.
Launched at the end of 2017, the AFC Elite Youth Scheme recognises, supports and endorses MAs for their efforts in elite youth football development and currently comprises 28 members across its one, two and three-star levels.
Photos courtesy of Chinese Football Association
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