February 19 – UEFA has collaborated with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on a Girls’ Grassroots Participation and Coach Education workshop in Kuala Lumpur, strengthening the two bodies’ collaboration on the development of the women’s game.
Staged last week as part of the AFC-UEFA Women’s Football Programme, the workshop brought together representatives from selected Member Associations (MAs) to share experiences and fine-tune grassroots strategies aimed at widening access to the game for young girls across Asia, with sessions led by UEFA consultant John Ackerley and UEFA International Relations Manager Chris Milnes.
The broader initiative, launched in 2024 and running until July 2027, is focused on accelerating the growth of women’s football within targeted MAs, helping bridge the gap to the region’s more established nations.
The first phase features the Chinese Taipei Football Association, Lebanese Football Association, Football Association of Thailand, Uzbekistan Football Association and Vietnam Football Federation.
The Kuala Lumpur workshop drew inspiration from UEFA’s Playmakers initiative, which targets girls aged five to eight and centres on creating welcoming, imaginative learning environments. Over four days, participants explored how storytelling and play-based methodologies can nurture both fundamental football skills and broader life competencies.
Ackerley emphasised the collaborative atmosphere that underpinned the event.
“The biggest takeaway from this workshop has been seeing how participants from the different MAs have come together to share ideas and learn from one another, particularly in relation to the girls’ grassroots programmes they are developing,” he said. “In the last few days, we have worked through the chapters in their guidebooks, explored the concepts both in the classroom and on the pitch, and continuously reflected and refined them through constructive feedback. It has been a strong balance of theory and practical application.”
Junpen Seesraum of the Football Association of Thailand highlighted the value of peer exchange.
“This has been an excellent opportunity for us to meet our peers and exchange ideas, especially under the expert guidance of the UEFA consultants,” she said. “From this workshop, we’ve gained a fresh perspective on coaching young girls, which I am confident will go a long way.”
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1771514391labto1771514391ofdlr1771514391owedi1771514391sni@g1771514391niwe.1771514391yrrah1771514391
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