AFC-Chelsea FC "Vision Asia" partnership renewal ceremony‏

AFC and Chelsea FC signed an official four-year contract, formalising Chelsea’s support for AFC’s revolutionary football development programme, 'Vision Asia', in 2007. This was the first time a major European club engaged with the official ruling body for Asia. As part of the new agreement between AFC and Chelsea FC to develop Asian football, the AFC Youth Player of the Year has the chance to train for a month with the Blues as well as 10 select youth players from the AFC 'Vision Asia' projects in China for two weeks.
AFC President Mohamed Bin Hammam believes that Chelsea FC are the first European football club to approach AFC with the idea of contributing to the growing success of Asian football, while the club's business philosophy is that its approach to the Asian market is different to other European clubs as it is based on partnerships which will help develop football in Asian markets, while also forming part of the club’s overall business strategy.The main focus of Chelsea FC is on ‘Vision China’ projects but the English Premier League side is open to supporting other projects mutually agreed upon with AFC. I
n the last four years, AFC and Chelsea FC have worked together in five 'Vision China' projects – Qingdao, Wuhan, Chengdu, Nanjing and Zibo. ‘Vision China’ is now being extended to five more new cities - Dalian, Kunming, Yongchuan, Dalian and Qinhuangdao.Chelsea FC’s involvement with 'Vision Asia' includes providing instructors for coaching clinics, management workshops, grassroots support (coaching) and extending financial support to the projects.