Kitchee Academy is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded the “Youth Academy of the Year (Boys)” at the AFC Special Elite Youth Awards 2025. This award recognises Kitchee Academy’s commitment to youth football development and the Academy will continue to strive for excellence in nurturing more outstanding footballers.
The AFC Youth Academy of the Year (Boys) award recognises the most outstanding football academies across the continent for exceptional achievement in youth development. Kitchee Academy is honoured to receive this prestigious accolade, marking a significant affirmation of its commitment and achievements in nurturing young football talents over the years. “This distinguished award drives us to further push ourselves and fuels our passion in grooming more outstanding football talents,” said Jordi Tarrés, Technical Director of Kitchee Academy.
Kitchee Academy becomes the first Hong Kong academy to be awarded, alongside PVF Academy from Vietnam last year and JFA Academy Fukushima (Boys) from Japan in 2023, enhancing the Academy’s reputation in Asia.
Since its establishment as FCBEscola Hong Kong in 2008 and rebranding as Kitchee Academy in 2011, the Academy has been providing free elite football training to Hong Kong’s most talented youngsters aged 6 to 22, as well as opportunities for domestic and international competitions, preparing players for progression into the professional level. With over a thousand students registered for trials each year, the Academy has nurtured numerous professional players in the past 17 years, including 12 current Kitchee First Team players. Apart from that, there are a number of graduates playing for various clubs of the Hong Kong Premier League, while some have gone on to play in other leagues around the world. Kitchee Academy also has a long-standing tradition of producing talents to play in the Hong Kong, China Representative Teams. In the most recent final squad lists of the Men’s Senior, U23, U20 and U17 teams, a total of more than 30 players are current Academy players or have received substantial training at the Academy. Along with continuing to produce high-quality players to represent Hong Kong, China at various age levels, the main objective of Kitchee Academy is to cultivate homegrown talent capable of competing in top-tier Asian football or even European leagues.
Kitchee Academy continuously enhances the quality of its coaches with reference to international coaching standards. This includes engaging the Belgian football consultancy Double Pass to refine training curriculum and coach development. The Academy also works closely with CUHK Medical Centre, providing players with regular treatment, injury prevention and rehabilitation services. In addition, expert consultation and training are offered in areas such as nutrition, fitness enhancement and sports science etc. This collaboration ensures that players benefit from the latest medical knowledge and scientific support, safeguarding their health and optimizing overall performance. In 2023, Kitchee Academy was certified as a “Two-Star Elite Youth Academy” under the “AFC Elite Youth Scheme”. It remains the only academy in Hong Kong to hold this distinction, signifying its achievement of multiple professional benchmarks and standards.
Furthermore, to strengthen its connection with world-leading youth development resources, Kitchee was invited to join “Aspire in the World Fellows”, an international football exchange platform established by Qatar’s Aspire Academy. Through this network, Kitchee actively engages with top academies and clubs around the world in collaboration and knowledge exchange. At the same time, Kitchee has recently established the EDPS-Kitchee AI Office, dedicated to promoting the use of artificial intelligence in areas such as athlete training and performance enhancement. The AI Office shall comprehensively integrate data analytics, AI applications, and sports science technologies to deliver precise decision-making support and innovative solutions for the team. The establishment of the AI Office marks a new milestone in Kitchee’s sports technology journey. Beyond helping to predict and prevent player injuries, it enhances the coaching team’s efficiency and professionalism in tactical planning, training load management, and health monitoring, allowing the Club and its Academy to maintain a competitive edge both locally and across the Asian football landscape.
The Jockey Club Kitchee Centre plays a vital role in the Academy’s development blueprint. Prior to its establishment in 2015, football classes were held at public venues until students finally settled at the Jockey Club Kitchee Centre and called it home. The Academy’s goals of holistic and systematic development of talented young players were also made possible through the nutrition support from Kitchee Bistro and sports science support from the CUHK Medical Clinic@Kitchee, an accredited “AFC Medical Centre of Excellence”. These all contribute to the on and off-field support in helping youngsters prepare for their professional careers.
Kitchee Academy will continue to intensify its efforts in training and development, providing emerging talents for both Hong Kong and Kitchee’s First Team. At the same time, it remains committed to fostering football culture in Hong Kong and inspiring a new generation of local players.