China Makes Football Courses Mandatory In Schools In Effort To Elevate Standing

Football courses will be mandatory at an increasing number of schools across China, a move "designed to achieve the country's goal of becoming a sporting power," according to Sun Xiaochen of CHINA DAILY. China’s Vice Premier Liu Yandong said, “The development of soccer in schools forms the cornerstone in realizing China's soccer dream to join the world's elite at major sporting events.” According to agreements, the Education Ministry will take over the promotion of youth football from the Chinese FA and play a “more prominent role in expanding the school league system to engage more children” in sports. The Chinese School Football program aims to develop soccer specialties at 20,000 primary and secondary schools by ‘17, up from the current 5,000 schools. The ministry said there will also be 200 high-level college teams cultivated to “help form a talent pool for elite national teams” (CHINA DAILY, 11/28).