The Ministry of Education (MOE) has released a report regarding campus football development in China (2015-2017) at a press conference held on Feb 1. This report includes the conclusion of the MOE’s work in developing campus football over the past three years, as well as the ministry’s goal in campus football for the period 2018 to 2025.

The report said that the central government has spent RMB 6.48m on developing campus football over the past three years, during which time investment from provincial and municipal governments, the China Sport Lottery and other private investors reached RMB 19.6bn in total.

In 2015, the MOE planned that 20,000 primary and middle schools would have a football education curriculum by 2020 but as the China Education Daily reported, the MOE achieved their goal by the end of 2017 (20,218 in total) with the ministry adding that 6,837 schools had become specialised football schools in 2017.

As for campus football participation, the report also revealed that 5.34 million pupils participated in various primary school football leagues from 2015 to 2017. 

During the same time, 2.76 million middle school students and 1.65 million high school students competed in middle school and high school football leagues. While the university football leagues attracted 279,000 students. 

Regarding their goals for the next 8 years, the MOE plans to introduce a new football education curriculum into more than 30,000 primary and middle schools by 2025. Meanwhile, 50 new football training academies will also be rolled out around China in 2018. 

Source: edu.enorth.com.cn

Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick