AFC under-14 festival opens in Doha

The matches of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Festival of Football for Under-14 boys from the West region have commenced here in the Qatari capital. Organisers inaugurated the festival of matches in the scenic ambience at the Technical Complex in the presence of a gathering of more than 2,000 comprising spectators, coaches, educators, families and students, a report by AFC said Wednesday. The General Secretary of the Qatar FA Technical Committee Ali Jasim Mefftah gave the signal to kick off the festival matches which started a week after educational opportunities for the other proponents at the grassroots level of youth football such as coaches, referees, physiotherapists and team doctors. AFC Project Manager Dr. Shamil Kamil thanked Qatar Football Association for its support and collaboration and hoped all team participants, coaches and referees enjoy the Festival and make new friends. He emphasised that the Festival focuses more on learning and educational development than competition. The festival offers an excellent opportunity for young players to hone their skills and develop better appreciation for the beautiful game, the AFC report added.