September 23 – The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Elite-Youth Scheme continues to make waves in the region with 27 member associations signed up for the landmark programme.
At the latest AFC Youth Panel meeting in Kuala Lumpur – the fourth of the 2024/25 cycle – officials confirmed that 27 associations are currently endorsed: 12 with 1-Star status, seven at 2-Star, and eight holding the top 3-Star ranking.
Nine further applications are in the pipeline, including Cambodia and Laos, while the Myanmar Football Federation has been recommended for a 1-Star renewal of its academy in Yangon-Mandalay.
AFC Technical Director Andy Roxburgh said the scheme remains the cornerstone of the confederation’s long-term plans to raise playing standards and align elite development across Asia.
“We have set out clear criteria which, if achieved, will make a genuine difference for all our member associations,” he told the panel. Roxburgh also pointed to wider benefits, from meeting club licensing requirements to improving access to sponsorship and government funding.
The Elite-Youth Scheme is expected to expand further over the next two years, with the AFC outlining priorities for 2026/27 that include: boosting participation in AFC youth competitions, expanding scheme membership, providing greater support to club academies, researching academy competitions, and increasing the number of federations delivering the AFC Elite-Youth Diplomas.
Delegates of the AFC Youth Panel reviewed findings from a continent-wide survey of grassroots and youth programmes, completed by 42 associations, which will help guide investment and policy.
Nominations have also opened for the AFC’s Special Elite Youth Football Awards 2025, due to be presented at the next Youth Conference in November.
“Our ultimate priority is to ensure there is real investment in elite youth football and that the overall standard of the game continues to rise across Asia,” Roxburgh said.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]
