Evergrande Football School

Evergrande Football School
恒大足球学校
Qingyuan, Guangdong Province

China
Information
TypeFootball academy
Motto"Revitalize Chinese Football, Cultivate Football Stars"
EstablishedSeptember 2012
FounderXu Jiayin (Evergrande Group)
PresidentLiu Qian (since 2023)
StaffApproximately 100 (as of 2023)[1]
EnrollmentApproximately 400 (as of 2023)[2]
Campus size1,880 mu (approximately 1.25 km²)
AffiliationGuangzhou FC (formerly)

Evergrande Football School (Chinese: 恒大足球学校) is a football school located in Qingyuan, Guangdong, China. Owned by the Evergrande Group, it is a full-time boarding primary and secondary football school. [3][4][5][6] It is the largest football academy in the world.

History

Establishment and Early Years (2012–2017)

Evergrande Football School opened in September 2012 following an initial investment of 1.9 billion yuan by the Evergrande Group.[7] The school was established during a period when China's youth football development faced significant challenges, with the number of traditional football schools having declined from over 4,000 to approximately 20 nationwide.[8][9]

The school's cultural education curriculum was developed in partnership with the High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China (RDFZ), while football training was initially overseen by coaches from Real Madrid Foundation.[10] In October 2014, the school established a Spanish branch in Madrid, sending 25 students annually to receive training in Spain.[11]

During its first five years, the school focused on expanding China's football population and building a talent foundation. The student body reached its peak of 3,500 students during the 2016–2017 period, of which 2,800 were regular students paying tuition fees.[12]

Transition to Elite-Only Model (2018–2020)

In 2017, Evergrande Group chairman Xu Jiayin announced that Guangzhou FC would transition to an "all-Chinese" squad by 2020, shifting investment focus from the senior team to youth development.[13] This led to significant changes at the football school.

In 2018, the school implemented an "all-elite, all-free" policy under the leadership of its second president, Wang Yajun. Regular fee-paying students were phased out, and the school retained only elite players who received free tuition, accommodation, meals, and training.[12] The student population was reduced from 3,500 to 1,200, and teaching staff was cut from 500 to approximately 100.[12]

By 2019, the school had 63 players selected for various age-group national teams, setting a record at the time.[14] The annual cost to train each elite student was approximately 250,000 yuan, significantly higher than the 100,000-yuan average at other football schools.[15][12][16]

Financial Crisis and Independence (2021–present)

In 2021, the Evergrande Group's financial crisis affected the football school, with reports indicating that no funding was provided by the group that year.[12] The school faced potential closure but managed to continue operations through cost-cutting measures and commercial initiatives.

In May 2023, Liu Qian became the school's third president and announced that the school had become fully independent from the Evergrande Group.[17] By October 2023, the school reported achieving financial self-sufficiency, with revenue of 82 million yuan in 2022 and a small surplus.[12]

Following the dissolution of Guangzhou FC in January 2025, the school lost its primary pathway for graduates to enter professional football.[18] The school subsequently established partnerships with other clubs, including an agreement with Guangzhou Dandelion FC in January 2025 to provide players for the club's 2025 season.[19]

Facilities

The school occupies 1,880 mu (approximately 1.25 square kilometers) of land in Qingyuan, Guangdong Province.[20] The campus includes 50 football pitches, including seven high-quality natural grass fields (two with floodlights) and one FIFA-certified artificial turf pitch.[21]

Additional facilities include a 6,000-square-meter football center building, a 2,000-square-meter international-standard physical training center, a 3,000-square-meter gymnasium, a 1,500-square-meter library, an 1,800-square-meter auditorium, and student dormitories covering 21,000 square meters.[21]

Academic and Training Programs

The school operates a "5+5" training model, with students aged 9–13 receiving domestic training at the Qingyuan campus, followed by five years of overseas development for selected elite players at the Spanish branch.[22]

As of 2025, the school offers enrollment for football elite students (born 2009–2017), football and sports specialty students (grades 3–12), and senior high school students.[23] Tuition fees range from 16,500 yuan per semester for primary school to 23,500 yuan per semester for high school, with accommodation costing 3,000 yuan per academic year.[23] Elite students continue to receive full scholarships covering all expenses.[23]

References

  1. ^ "恒大足球学校建成十三年后：离开的和留下的". 懂球帝 (in Chinese). 1 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  2. ^ "恒大足球学校建成十三年后：离开的和留下的". 懂球帝 (in Chinese). 1 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  3. ^ Jonathan Stayton (16 March 2016). "Surreal $185M 'Disney' football academy". CNN.
  4. ^ "恒大足校起底！曾1年投入2亿的他们 如今怎样". sports.sina.com.cn. 19 October 2021.
  5. ^ "A Billion Reasons to Believe". thelab.bleacherreport.com.
  6. ^ "'Chinese football will never be the same again': How world's biggest soccer boarding school is striving towards China's World Cup dream". South China Morning Post. 29 May 2016.
  7. ^ "恒大足校曾获多项冠军！"精英全免费"政策助你实现梦想_手机凤凰网". isports.ifeng.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  8. ^ "少年足球：不成明星，咋融入社会？ 许家印：完善青少年联赛体系——人民政协网". www.rmzxw.com.cn. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  9. ^ "中国青训恒大模式获点赞 科学竞训体系锻造国足明日之星". hb.ifeng.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  10. ^ "恒大与人民大学合办足球学院-中国青年报". zqb.cyol.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  11. ^ 腾讯网 (13 September 2024). "恒大足校：新赛季第一批10人赴西班牙分校深造_腾讯新闻". news.qq.com (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  12. ^ a b c d e f "恒大足球学校建成十三年后：离开的和留下的|广州|蔡明民|广州U19|广州U23|广州预备队|广州U18|恒大西班牙足校U16|广州U21|恒大足球学校|广州U19B|广州U17|广州蒲公英|王捷(U21)|广州U15|恒大足球学校U15|懂球帝". m.dongqiudi.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  13. ^ "恒大动员会目标四冠王 许家印强调转变发展理念-搜狐体育". sports.sohu.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  14. ^ 国内足球综合 (7 May 2020). "恒大青训:帕尔曼江成功非个例 7年累计投入超26亿". 手机新浪网 (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  15. ^ "8年28亿探访打造足球人才"兵工厂"的恒大足校". 中国新闻网 (in Chinese). 30 June 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  16. ^ 腾讯网 (6 June 2025). ""嗨球少年"索赔之争：不能苛求孙继海们"用爱发电"_腾讯新闻". news.qq.com (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  17. ^ "刘倩：恒大足校实现独立运营、自负盈亏". www.sohu.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  18. ^ 腾讯网 (16 January 2025). "存在企业关联，恒大足校不能继承广州队名号＆不能以足校名义组队_腾讯新闻". news.qq.com (in Chinese (China)). Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  19. ^ 网易 (22 January 2025). "换种方式征战职业联赛：恒大足校基本确定和广州蒲公英合作". www.163.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  20. ^ "走进恒大足球学校 规模全球最大目标三年夺四冠-搜狐体育". sports.sohu.com. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  21. ^ a b "清远恒大足球学校拓展训练基地". www.360tz.net (in Chinese). 16 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  22. ^ "恒大足校成立7年青训成果露峥嵘已获75项重大赛事冠军". 人民网 (in Chinese). 17 December 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  23. ^ a b c "恒大足校开启25年招生：学费16500-23500元/学期，精英全免费". www.163.com (in Chinese). 26 March 2025. Retrieved 18 March 2026.

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