UEFA and AFC expand girls grassroots programme in Asia

UEFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have stepped up a three-year women’s football partnership with a Kuala Lumpur workshop designed to improve access to grassroots football for young girls across Asia.UEFA said the latest collaboration, delivered through the UEFA Together programme, focused on sharing the principles of the UEFA Playmakers model – a play-based approach that combines physical drills with imagination and storytelling – to help participating associations build tailored entry points for girls aged five to eight.UEFA said experts worked with AFC counterparts and coach educators from Chinese Taipei, Lebanon, Thailand, Uzbekistan and Vietnam, with sessions including programme design support and delivery practice with a group of girls from a local school to gather immediate feedback.Junpen Seesraum of the Football Association of Thailand said: “This has been an excellent opportunity for us to meet our peers and exchange ideas, especially under the expert guidance of UEFA. From this workshop, we’ve gained a fresh perspective on coaching young girls, which I am confident will go a long way.”UEFA deputy general secretary Zoran Laković said: “UEFA is fully committed to working with AFC to develop women’s football across Asia via our UEFA Together programme. Our shared ambition for women’s football will be key to the long-term success of this important collaboration.”AFC deputy general secretary Vahid Kardany said: “This latest initiative between UEFA and AFC is key to strengthening capacity and creating safe, joyful environments for young girls across Asia.”UEFA said participants will now deliver national-level training to coaches working in girls’ grassroots programmes in their home associations, with the intention of scaling the approach and building a broader base of qualified grassroots coaches. It added that each of the five participating associations is expected to launch girls’ grassroots centres later this year as part of the programme’s next steps.Emily Shaw, UEFA head of executive office and international relations, said: “To ensure sustainable, long-term development of women’s football, it is vital to invest in girls’ football at the earliest stage. This collaboration between AFC and UEFA recognises this importance, and we are excited to see its impact in the months ahead.”The AFC said the Girls’ Grassroots Participation and Coach Education workshop in Kuala Lumpur ran from 9–12 February as part of the AFC–UEFA Women’s Football Programme.