The education bureau of Lianhu district – located in Xi'an, capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi province – was named one of 28 national Mantianxing training camps for youth campus football.

In addition, 18 primary and secondary schools and 27 kindergartens in Xi'an were selected as national specialist schools for youth campus football.

Primary students in Xi'an play football. [Photo/Xi'an Daily]

In recent years, Lianhu district has been trying to use campus football to reform and innovate school sports.

Schools in the district are making full use of physical education classes and club activities to teach students about football, and are organizing district-level, school-level, and class-level campus football matches, which has increased student interest in the sport.

The Mantianxing training camp will receive policy support from relevant departments for campus football teaching, training, competitions, enrollment, funding and condition guarantees, which will help promote the development of youth football training in Lianhu district and the rest of Xi'an.

With the approach of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, Xi'an has sped of the building of a football city. In September 2021, the city rolled out its football reform and development plans.

The plans proposed that Xi'an should have 300 schools offering campus football in the city's primary and secondary schools and kindergartens by 2025.

Between 2021 and 2025, the city will build a national youth football training center and host the 2023 AFC Asian Cup.