On May 6, the “Football” newspaper, a subsidiary of Cantonese Media, joined forces with Hebei Institute of Physical Education to organize a seminar on the construction of new-type football schools. The event brought together representatives from the first two pilot new-type football schools, professional clubs, traditional football academies, and experts from the sports and education sectors.
Although Chinese Football Association President Song Kai did not attend in person, he sent a 2,700-word letter to the seminar, emphasizing that new-type football schools must grasp the core meaning of “new-type” to forge a new path for the integration of sports and education. He highlighted the importance of adhering to the fundamental principles of professional youth training, implementing a football-based educational philosophy, and fostering collaboration among multiple stakeholders to build a mutually beneficial framework, thereby strengthening the foundation of Chinese football youth development.
Guo Zhiwei, President of Hebei Institute of Physical Education, noted that as one of the first pilot schools, the institute has established a “3+4” medium-to-higher vocational training pathway for football, creating a full academic ladder from elementary school to university. This approach aims to ensure that every player has a clear path and the opportunity to succeed.
Yan Xiang, Manager of the Team Affairs Department (Youth Academy) at Shanghai Shenhua Football Club, suggested that youth training institutions should shift from competition to collaboration, setting common goals and unified talent identification and training models to establish a shared destiny for youth development.
Kang Bing, Chairman of Evergrande Football School, viewed the new-type football school as a refinement and upgrade of traditional academies, emphasizing that they can complement and coexist with traditional models through integrated development.
Additionally, participants discussed topics such as continuous training pathways, competition systems, and incentive mechanisms, exploring the construction roadmap for new-type football schools.