The Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) Elite Youth Scheme has awarded Paro FC Football Academy a Two-Star rating, making it the first club or national football association in South Asia to do so.
The Bhutanese academy is now one of a few football schools in Asia that satisfy AFC requirements for young development thanks to the recognition. Coaching quality, infrastructure, player welfare, sports science, talent identification, safeguarding, and educational programs are just a few of the twenty areas that are evaluated.
After showcasing an organised youth development program that integrates football training with education, psychological assistance, and player welfare, Paro FC was awarded the rating. AFC and FIFA authorities, including Deepak John Nayak of the All India Football Federation and Takeshi Ono of the Japan Football Association and AFC, assessed the academy.
Since neither club or national association from nearby South Asian nations presently has a Two-Star or Three-Star AFC Elite Youth Scheme ranking, the accomplishment represents a significant turning point for Bhutanese football. In order to obtain the AFC’s top Three-Star rating, Paro FC stated that it intends to keep making investments in youth programs, coaching development, and infrastructure.