NEOM launches Champions of Progress initiative to drive community football
NEOM: The Asian Football Confederation’s official partner, NEOM, on Wednesday launched an initiative that aims to celebrate community heroes in football across Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and Asia. Known as Champions of Progress, the scheme will use football’s global platform to drive positive change across the region and help the development of talent from grassroots to elite players. The partnership supports NEOM’s vision to grow football in the Kingdom, improve access to physical activity for people and help make the country a global sports destination, it said in a statement. “Champions of Progress seeks to celebrate individuals and projects that promote positive community engagement, support innovative sports development and show a commitment to diversity and inclusion in football,” it said. The initiative is open to individuals aged 18 and above from across the region, as well as projects that have had a significant impact in the development of football at a community level, increased participation numbers or improved accessibility. A panel of judges, including experts from NEOM and AFC, will review all submissions to determine the winners. The six “champions” will be invited to the AFC Champions League Elite at the beginning of the 2025/26 season where they will meet senior members of the Saudi football community. Their stories will also be shared across selected partnership channels to drive awareness and encourage positive change in pan-Asian football.
