Eight regions in China have been designated as the first batch of comprehensive reform pilot zones for promoting football among youth on campus, according to the Ministry of Education.

The pilot zones nationwide are Dalian in Liaoning province, Zhengzhou in Henan province, Jinan in Shandong province, Chengdu in Sichuan province, Bijie in Guizhou province, Wuwei in Gansu province, Ganzhou in Jiangxi province and Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture in Jilin province.

The pilot zones will carry out measures such as increasing football class hours in schools as well as the number of football teachers and fields, aiming to improve the competitive level of youth football.

The launching ceremony of the pilot zones was held during a recent meeting in Dalian to discuss the establishment of football colleges and majors in higher education institutes, the ministry said.