Following AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh’s welcome address, the panellists received a comprehensive overview of the latest updates under the AFC Elite Youth Scheme, covering recent endorsements and regulatory changes such as establishing databases and redefining academy standards. 

 

The updates paved the way for discussions on expanding the scheme to improve talent identification and development, ensure regular competitions for elite youth footballers, and enhance the quality of coaches while also exploring potential opportunities to further promote and garner greater interest among Member Associations (MAs) in the scheme.

Furthermore, the panel members were briefed on the recent assessment visit to China PR’s Suzhou Football Center, which was recognised as the Youth Academy of the Year (Girls). This set the stage for an insightful dialogue among the experts on the standout elements of all the winning candidates of the AFC Special Youth Awards 2024.

 

The conversation then shifted to explore the findings of a survey conducted by the AFC in collaboration with the University of Tsukuba, Japan, aimed at mapping the full spectrum of domestic competitive youth and grassroots football in Asia and providing tailored solutions to raise the standards of youth players.

Before concluding, the panel members were informed about new initiatives and upcoming events, including the introduction of the AFC Elite Youth Bulletin, an annual online publication to aid MAs in adopting the best practices of youth football development and the AFC Elite Youth Conference 2025. 

 

With the AFC Grassroots and Coach Education Panel meetings also taking place earlier this week, the discussions at the AFC Elite Youth Panel meeting marked another step forward in the AFC’s ambitions of ensuring the success of Asian teams on the global stage.