Exploring overseas talent development models, the "Young Phoenix Program" training team's departure ceremony for South Korea was held in Beijing.

On April 17, the departure ceremony for the "Young Phoenix Program" U15 women's football team heading to South Korea for training, jointly supported by the China Football Development Foundation and Adidas, was held at the National Football Youth Training Center. The training team, consisting of 22 young female football players from central and western regions and 8 grassroots youth training coaches, will depart on April 18 for a two-week training camp in Icheon City, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, and will play 6 matches against high-level South Korean women's football teams of the same age group.

Wang Xiaopeng, Chairman of the China Football Development Foundation, Sun Wen, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Football Association, and Shen Kai, Senior Director of Sports Marketing for Adidas Greater China, attended the event and visited the young female football players about to depart. At the departure ceremony, Sun Wen, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Football Association, delivered a message. She stated that over the two years since the implementation of the "Young Phoenix Program," many outstanding players with distinct characteristics and strong technical abilities have emerged, and several players have gradually entered various national teams as key players, stepping onto a higher stage. She hopes all members of the training team treat every day, every training session, and every match as a lesson for growth, train diligently, refine their skills, strengthen their physical fitness, and toughen their will. With a good spirit and strong competitive demeanor, they should showcase the vitality and resilience of China's young female football players, and on the international stage, carry forward the spirit of the "Steely Roses" of the former women's national team through practical actions.

On December 1, 2025, the "Adidas Support for Chinese Youth Football Development Plan" was launched at the National Football Youth Training Center. The "Young Phoenix Program," as one of its important international exchange projects, reflects Adidas's long-term commitment to supporting the cultivation of elite youth football talents in China. Shen Kai, Senior Director of Sports Marketing for Adidas Greater China, expressed hope that the young players would carry the expectations of the nation, gain growth and shine during overseas training and matches. Adidas combines global premium football resources with the realities of local youth training in China, comprehensively supporting the national youth training system construction. Guided by the principle of "In China, For China, Love China," it jointly explores overseas talent development models and builds sustainable talent cultivation channels.

Young player representatives from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Jiangxi presented badges bearing the "Young Phoenix Program" logo to the attending guests, expressing sincere gratitude for the support and concern for youth women's football development, and conveying the young players' firm belief in not辜负ing expectations and striving courageously.

As one of the project organizers, Wang Xiaopeng, Chairman of the China Football Development Foundation, presented captain armbands to training team captains Li Xingyu and Wen Yuqing. She encouraged all team members and coaches to cherish this overseas training opportunity, not辜负ing their own efforts in pursuing dreams along the way, not辜负ing the careful nurturing by families, coaches, and teachers, and the hard work of all parties involved in the "Young Phoenix Program," not辜负ing the expectations and trust of the country and the people. She urged them to think proactively, be diligent in questioning, actively exchange and切磋 with South Korean counterparts, and demonstrate tenacity,风采, style, and level in matches.

The "Young Phoenix Program" is an international football exchange公益 project guided by the Youth Department of the General Administration of Sport of China and the Chinese Football Association, jointly established by the China Football Development Foundation and Adidas. It aims to挖掘 and cultivate elite U15 women's football players from central and western regions by搭建 high-level international competition platforms to助力 the cultivation of后备 talents for Chinese women's football. The project adopts a model of "domestic selection camps + overseas high-level training and matches," annually selecting 22 players and 8 grassroots coaches from nearly a hundred elite players nationwide for overseas training and matches, allowing players to accumulate experience and提升 competitive水平 through matches against foreign teams of the same age group. Simultaneously, grassroots coaches from central and western regions accompany the team for training and matches, receiving on-site guidance and professional course training from foreign youth training experts.

In 2024, the "Young Phoenix Program" overseas training team went to Bayern Munich Club,接受ing three weeks of high-intensity professional training and playing multiple matches against high-level German teams of the same age group, even defeating the Bayern Munich U15 women's football梯队. Through overseas training, the players not only improved their technical and tactical水平 but also gained confidence and broadened their international视野. After returning home, they played key roles in their respective provincial and municipal teams, achieving excellent results in the National Games U16赛事. Over the past two years, the "Young Phoenix Program" has shown significant talent cultivation成效,累计输送ing 12 outstanding players to the U16 and U17 women's national teams. At the recently held 2026 France "Montaigu Cup" International Youth Football Invitational Tournament, 6 young players who participated in the 2025 "Young Phoenix Program" shone on the field, scoring all of China's goals, helping the U16 women's team win the亚军. Furthermore, in the third-phase U17 women's national training team roster announced at the end of March this year, Ju Zhitong, Wang Chenxi, and 5 other players who曾 participated in "Young Phoenix Program" training camps were入选, currently全力备战ing the U17 Women's Asian Cup to be held in Suzhou in May.

The journey is long over myriad mountains, the young phoenix spreads its wings to fly. This "Young Phoenix Program" training trip to South Korea is both an innovative尝试 by participating parties to cultivate high-level football后备 talents with international competitiveness, and will also help deepen youth football and cultural exchanges between China and South Korea, showcasing the new风貌 of youth from central and western regions in the new era. We期待 this young team to strive courageously,突破 themselves, and win glory for the country during their training and exchange period in South Korea.