Xi'an Physical Education University National Football College & Xi'an Football College: Two Colleges, One Dream

Zuo Rui reports from Xi'an Xi'an Physical Education University National Football College and Xi'an Football College are two football academies located in Xi'an, one of the country's key football development cities. The former has a strong foundation and seeks to develop across the northwest, while the latter is just emerging, targeting Xi'an's local youth training.

"The National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University is the benchmark for us to emulate. There is no rivalry between the two organizations," said Fang Cheng, Dean of Xi'an Football College, in an interview with Football News. "We have different positioning, but our goal is the same: to better develop Chinese football."

On June 16, Xi'an Football College, jointly established by the Xi'an Education Bureau, Xi'an Sports Bureau, and Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences, was officially inaugurated at Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences. When the three parties announced this information, the newly founded football college could easily be seen as a result of sports-education integration, but Fang Cheng describes this model as "government-university cooperation."

He explained that the provincial and municipal governments had long planned the establishment of Xi'an Football College and had clearly stated it in relevant documents. "The co-establishment of Xi'an Football College was led by the Municipal Education Bureau, with strong support from the Municipal Sports Bureau." As the only municipal-level undergraduate institution in Xi'an, Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences naturally bears this responsibility.

▲Fang Cheng (first from right)

From Fang Cheng's personal background, it is clear that the newly established football college has a nearly "lineage-like" connection with Xi'an Physical Education University's Football College. Before taking office as Dean of the Sports College at Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences last December, Fang Cheng had served as Deputy Dean of Xi'an Physical Education University's Football College and Deputy Director of its Graduate Department. The two main tasks assigned to the new leadership of the Sports College at Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences were to apply for master's degree programs and to establish a football college, so the subsequent job transfer and role transition went smoothly.

On June 22, the opening match of this year's Xi'an University Student Football League was held at the Huyi campus of Xi'an Physical Education University. The hosts won 3-0 against Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences, a score that reflects the current status of the two football colleges. "Xi'an Physical Education University has a very strong pool of football faculty and students. We are starting from scratch," said 49-year-old Fang Cheng, who has a deep passion for football and still actively participates in friendly staff football matches.

Although still in its early stages, the establishment of Xi'an Football College marks a significant upgrade in Xi'an's football talent cultivation system. As a designated training base for municipal-level football teachers, coaches, and referees, the new college will leverage the mature foundation of the Physical Education program at Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences, creating a two-way empowerment channel between university resources and local football development.

This "newborn" has also received care from many older institutions. After the fall semester begins this September, Xi'an Football College will invite renowned sports scholars and football teaching experts from six universities in Shaanxi Province to give on-site lectures to 30 freshmen, including Professor Xi Hailong, Dean of the National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University.

After news of the establishment of Xi'an Football College spread, many parents called to inquire about admission methods. The college promptly responded that the first batch of 30 students would be selected from among the new Physical Education majors. "We also want to recruit individually, even high-level athletes, and explore options like 3+4 integrated secondary-to-undergraduate programs and new football schools," Fang Cheng said. "First, we need to build a solid foundation; we must take it step by step. Taking too big a step might result in falling."

According to his vision, Xi'an Football College will focus on integrating teaching with practice, theory with real-world application, and build a closed-loop cultivation model of "recruitment - training - employment - service." After the first graduates complete their four-year program and meet the expected talent development goals, forming a good employment reputation, "then we can seek better development."

Xi'an Physical Education University, with 72 years of history, is one of the first six sports universities established in New China. It is now jointly built by the General Administration of Sport of China and the Shaanxi Provincial Government. As a secondary college of Xi'an Physical Education University, the Football College was founded in 2017 and in 2024 was approved as one of the first national-level football sports program units and a National Football College unit under the General Administration of Sport, and it has reached a cooperation agreement with the Chinese Football Association.

As the only sports university in the northwest region, Xi'an Physical Education University has always had the mission of "rooting in Shaanxi and serving the northwest." At the end of 2024, the China Football Association Xi'an Regional Youth Training Center, covering six northwest provinces, was approved and soon put into operation. Subsequently, the National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University and the Xi'an Regional Youth Training Center established a cooperative relationship for regional layout and coordinated development. Dean Xi Hailong of the National Football College said, "We are forming a composite team to fully support Xi'an's construction of a national key football development city and the Xi'an Regional Youth Training Center."

It is reported that Associate Professor Sun Hang from the National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University has been transferred to assist in the construction of the youth training center, providing guidance and coordination for the establishment and improvement of provincial, municipal, and district-level youth training centers below the regional level. Additionally, Yu Xin, Deputy Secretary of the Party General Branch of the college, stated that based on earlier consensus with the Xi'an Regional Youth Training Center, they have proactively contacted sports departments in Kashgar and Yili, Xinjiang, to conduct field research and plan to systematically export football teaching professionals to Xinjiang.

Kashgar and Yili are recognized as talent-rich areas for Chinese football, but due to their remote locations, they have been trying to introduce football teaching resources in recent years. The National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University took the initiative to plan to send a group of young grassroots coaches and arrange experienced football teachers to rotate to Xinjiang to scout football talents. Yu Xin said that the preliminary research went smoothly because both sides have mutual needs and expect a win-win outcome. "Xinjiang needs professional football teaching resources, while our students also need practical internship opportunities and are looking for potential employment opportunities."

It is understood that the National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University offers a football sports major and a sports training major (football direction), with currently more than 500 undergraduate football students and over 30 graduate students specializing in football. In addition to sending current students to Xinjiang for internships, it is evident that Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, and Inner Mongolia also have demands for football teaching staff.

To help develop local youth training in Xi'an, the Xi'an Regional Youth Training Center has included Xi'an's team building into its daily operations. The regional youth training center will provide technical support, including talent selection and training. The National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University has similar ideas; they are establishing connections with local middle schools in Xi'an.

What the National Football College of Xi'an Physical Education University is currently doing may be what Xi'an Football College aspires to do in the future, but it cannot achieve that yet. However, the latter has clear plans and a distinct positioning for its own future development.

Leveraging the resources of the Xi'an Education Bureau, Xi'an Football College has already designated 10 local national campus football characteristic schools as its training bases, including both primary and junior high schools. "Our current training goal is to cultivate football teaching staff for primary, secondary, and kindergarten schools," Fang Cheng said.

Thanks to the support of the Xi'an Sports Bureau, the newly established football college will share municipal-level football professional resources, including training grounds, strength rooms, rehabilitation rooms, and data analysis equipment. In addition, the Municipal Sports Bureau will assign high-level coaches to teach on campus and will prioritize the college team's participation in municipal youth events and public services such as "sending coaching to schools."

Xi'an Football College has introduced innovations in the training model for football teaching staff. Based on the applied undergraduate orientation of Xi'an University of Arts and Sciences and the long history of normal education programs, graduates will have the opportunity to obtain all of the following certifications: a teaching certificate, a D-level coach certificate, and a national second-level referee certificate, thereby enhancing their employment competitiveness.

According to the plan, freshmen in the football experimental class will systematically study theoretical knowledge and football skills for the first three years, and in their senior year, they will intern in primary and secondary schools, directly strengthening the campus football teaching force. Fang Cheng stated that the college will adhere to the principle of "local orientation, demand-driven, application-focused," continuously optimize teaching plans, strictly control training quality, and steadily supply high-quality football talents for Xi'an's construction as a national key football development city.

Input affects output. In terms of recruiting students for the football college itself, the current channels are relatively limited and spread across more than a dozen provinces. Fang Cheng is also considering whether in the next step, enrollment models such as "free normal student targeted employment" can be used to broaden the source channels and attract high-quality students.

Although he has never been a professional player, Fang Cheng majored in physical education with a football specialization during his undergraduate studies. In his view, basic skill training is crucial, directly affecting children's future and the outcomes of youth training. The ideal grassroots coach not only has solid basic skills but is also adept at guiding children and refining technical details in this area.

Consistently sending graduates to local youth training will contribute to municipal and district youth training centers. Hosting football matches for universities, middle schools, and primary schools, serving the society and local communities, also adds to the construction of Xi'an's football culture. "So our ultimate goal is the same as that of Xi'an Physical Education University's Football College." Promoting the integration of sports and education, helping improve youth physical fitness and inherit local football culture, is the goal of all schools, including the two football colleges in Xi'an.

For a considerable period, they will focus on local youth training for children under 14. This direction is correct, as it concentrates efforts to fill gaps in the industry, while older age groups can be handled by corresponding city teams, provincial teams, regional youth training centers, or professional club youth teams. On the other hand, Xi'an has introduced a "6+3+1" special enrollment policy for primary and secondary school football talents, building a seamless cultivation system from elementary to high school. The establishment of Xi'an Football College has prepared for the transition from high school to university.