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CFA congress opens in Kunming

Xinhua, December 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The annual congress of the Chinese Football Association (CFA) opened here on Wednesday in the capital city of Yunnan Province.

Cai Zhenhua, president of CFA, said at the congress that the year of 2015 witnessed a prominent success achieved by the CFA in carrying out The Overall Plan of Chinese Soccer Reform and Development.

The overall plan, passed in February by China's central reform group, showed the determination to meet the needs of people to popularize the sport across the country and finally promote the level of national teams.

Cai named some of the highlights of Chinese football in 2015: Chinese Super League remains the top one in Asia in match attendance, China's Guangzhou Evergrande club won its second Asian Champions League title in three years, the number of primary schools and high schools which adopt football as part of their physical education program has surged from 5,000 to 8,000 and the draft of the long-term plan of China's football development has completed.

But Cai also said the year is far from perfection as China's men's national team is on the verge of elimination in World Cup qualifiers after drawing twice with Hong Kong of China and losing once to Qatar.

As for the future of head coach Alain Perrin if the national team fails to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, Cai said CFA will handle the issue in accordance with the agreement between CFA and the Frenchman.

The CFA congress will have a close-door meeting on Thursday and concludes on Friday. During the three-day congress, CFA will possibly reshuffle its executive committee. Endi