Southwest China’s Yunnan province has launched a comprehensive 20-measure policy framework to accelerate the development of football, with a dual focus on nurturing grassroots youth talent through campus programs and leveraging the sport to unlock new consumption and economic growth opportunities.
Released officially by the provincial government, the new policy integrates structured youth talent cultivation with market-oriented expansion, centering its core strategy on two key pillars: campus football development and the cultivation of a robust sports event economy.
To back up the policy targets, Yunnan will ramp up targeted financial investment, allocating dedicated funding to build out standardized youth training systems, expand inclusive campus football programs, support high-potential talent development, and establish regionally influential branded football competitions.
Primary and secondary educational institutions across the province sit at the core of the strategy. All public and private primary and secondary schools are mandated to integrate football into their standard physical education curricula and after-school activity offerings, while expanding intramural training and inter-class competitive events. Schools designated as football-focused institutions face stricter requirements: they must reserve dedicated funding for football development, construct at least one standard football pitch, allocate no less than one-third of total PE class time to football training and education, form official school football teams, guarantee at least three organized training sessions per week for team members, and host full-format annual campus football leagues.
Beyond campus development, the policy places strong emphasis on growing the football-driven event economy through market-oriented mechanisms. Provincial and local authorities are encouraging event organizers to attract commercial sponsorships and social capital investment, while diversifying revenue streams through advertising partnerships, ticketing operations, and broadcasting right licensing.
To amplify economic benefits, Yunnan will also deepen integration between football events and the province’s booming tourism sector, promoting football-themed travel packages and incorporating high-profile matches into the provincial government’s ongoing “A Many-Splendored Life in Yunnan” promotional campaign, which showcases the region’s diverse cultural and recreational offerings to domestic and international visitors.
In addition to programmatic and policy changes, the province plans to carry out systematic upgrades to key supporting infrastructure, including existing football stadiums, inter- and intra-city transport networks, and local accommodation and hospitality services. These improvements are designed to enhance the experience for both participating athletes and visiting spectators, laying the groundwork for broader long-term economic and social development tied to the sports sector.