The first of as many as four youth football training centers for Chinese development in Europe officially opened in the Czech capital, Prague, November 21, 2017, reports the Xinhua News Agency.

Attached to the SK Slavia Praha football club, the youth training center has been inaugurated as part of the ultimate goal of turning China into a world youth football power by 2050.

Its establishment is part of a three-step development strategy meant to turn around 12 consecutive years of missing both the U20 and U17 World Cup tournaments. The goal is to create a competitive youth football program for Asia by 2020, a leading team in Asia by 2025, and a world power by 2050.

Party Secretary of China Football Association Du Zhaocai and Secretary General of the Football Association of Czech Republic Jaroslav Tvrdík were on hand to inaugurate the new center.

Speaking afterward, Du Zhaocai said they expect this will be the first of three or four Chinese football training centers for youth development in Europe. He contends these centers will provide the ultimate backbone for the overall development of football in China.

SK Slavia Praha, with a history of 125 years, is one of the oldest football clubs in the Czech Republic and won the championship in the Gambrinus Liga in 2016-2017.