China to build 3,000 specialist football kindergartens

China plans to set up 3,000 kindergartens that focus on football training, according to a work report released by China's Ministry of Education on Tuesday, reports China News Agency.

The goal is to develop an interest in football among preschool kids aged 3 to 6 in order to foster the next generation of football talent.

A child competing in a preschool football match in Beijing on December 2, 2018. [File Photo: VCG]

A pilot project will be held from July 25 to August 1 in the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province, in a bid to train 400 teachers and principals for the kindergartens. And an expert committee will be convened to make plans for the future development of the kindergartens.

The work report unveiled a series of measures by the Ministry of Education to promote football development at schools. From 2015 to 2018, around 32,000 football fields were built or upgraded at school around the country, and a further 29,000 will be added by 2020.

China has so far named around 24,000 primary and middle schools across the country as specialist football academies.