The Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) has officially launched the FIFA Football for Schools project with the support of the FIFA Foundation following an event at the Yangon Football Academy, FIFA announced on its website.

The event, hosted by MFF President Zaw Zaw, was attended by the State Counsellor H. E. Aung San Suu Kyi, Union Minister for the Health and Sports Dr. Myint Htwe, Union Minister for Education Dr. Myo Thein Gyi, FIFA Foundation CEO Youri Djorkaeff, together with guests, presidents and secretaries from local township football associations.

“The FIFA Foundation is honoured to be involved in supporting this key development project,” said FIFA Foundation CEO Youri Djorkaeff. “Football is a sport for life. To have the seeds sewn at school level is crucial for the ongoing development and popularity of football for the future generations, but more important than that, through football we can convey a message of tolerance, unity, respect, fair play and other positive values so important in today’s society.”

“We have identified the need to make football accessible for children from all states and regions across Myanmar,” said President Zaw Zaw. “The FIFA Football for Schools project is fundamental in delivering this. This event marks the first activity in relation to the FIFA Football for Schools project in 2020, but the MFF has more to contribute in the months ahead in each of the 243 township football associations who have registered their interest in this exciting project.”

To mark the occasion, the MFF donated 10,000 footballs to the Union Minister for Education, but they will subsequently provide additional guidelines and instruction to ensure effective coaching instructor courses in all regions across the country to help the delivery of the FIFA Football for Schools project.