Football comes to Albanian schools

Football may soon be a separate subject in Albanian schools following a meeting held between the ministry of education and science and the Football Association of Albania (FShF).

It was made clear at the recent discussion between the Albanian minister of education and science, Myqerem Tafaj, and the president of the FShF, Armand Duka, that Albania is interested in pushing ahead with the initiative. The idea is one that the FShF has been developing for a long time and has received the support of UEFA and FIFA.

At the meeting, Mr Tafaj and Mr Duka considered the best ways to implement it in the specific context of the Albanian education system. Mr Tafaj welcomed the project and ensured it would find support in the near future. He said that the national school system needed to support such initiatives to help education reach the highest levels. Mr Duka, meanwhile, guaranteed the support of the FShF, not only in supplying educational materials but also in providing qualified personnel.

The introduction of football to the Albanian school curriculum is a major step forward in spreading interest in a sport which is rapidly growing in popularity in the country. There are currently 18,500 registered amateur players in Albania.