On May 3, the Development and Reform Commission of Guangdong issued a long-term plan for the growth of soccer, calling for the province's soccer program to lead the country by 2020.
Though vague, the plan says Guangdong's competitiveness should reach 'top level' in Asia by 2030 and an 'advanced level' by 2050.
More concrete goals include: hope for more than 16 professional soccer clubs in Guangdong by 2025, with 50,000 young players receiving professional training.
On top of that, 1,380 soccer-specialized schools are required to be operational by the year 2020, when over 3,000 new soccer fields are set to be finished, bringing the province's total to 6,500.
Guangdong's announcement comes on the heels of the China Football Association issuing a paper on soccer in China by 2050, which pointed out systemic weaknesses, including a shortage of facilities.
[Image via Yahoo News]
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