On October 16th, the Xi’an Sports Bureau announced that the 2024 Xi’an International Youth Football Invitation Tournament will take place from October 24 to October 30 in Xi’an.

During a press conference held at the Xi’an Sports Training Center, organizers provided an overview of the event’s preparations and schedule.

The tournament, themed “Silk Road Chang’an, Dreaming on the Green,” aims to promote youth development through football, recognized as a universal language. It seeks to enhance the city’s image and foster communication among youth from different countries, thereby advancing the global youth football movement.

This year’s competition will feature an under-14 boys’ category, with group matches set to be held at the Xi’an Sports Training Center and the finals scheduled for the Xi’an Olympic Sports Center.

Zhang Wei, director of the Xi’an Football Management Center, expressed the goal of establishing the Xi’an International Youth Football Invitation Tournament as a long-lasting and impactful brand event. He mentioned future plans to incorporate technology exchanges and other engaging activities to enrich the experience.

Eight teams have been invited to participate, including the Oldenburg Youth Team from Germany, the Den Bosch Youth Team from the Netherlands, the Cotton Farmers Youth Team from Uzbekistan, the Hylati Youth Team from Kazakhstan, Xi’an’s own youth football team, the U14 Elite Team from the Shenzhen Base, the Yinghua Silin Youth Team from Guangzhou, and a team from Zhejiang.

Shi Wei, head of the Competitive Sports Department of the Xi’an Sports Bureau, highlighted that the tournament will also include a welcoming ceremony, a youth football exchange meeting, and various educational and cultural activities designed to deepen mutual understanding and friendship among young athletes from different nations, promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning.