UFF General Secretary Sardor Rakhmatullaev underlined the booster effect such festivals have across the region by citing the example of the recently concluded AFC U-14 Festival of Football in the capital of Uzbekistan.

"This festival is a chance for our national associations to improve their grassroots sections and progress," Rakhmatullaev told www.the-afc.com, referring to the participation of teams from the neighbouring countries of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

"The festival not only inculcates values of fair play and competitiveness in young children but also teaches them how to communicate with each other."

"Off the pitch, these get-togethers also help in cultural exchanges and promotes the world view of football without boundaries," said the UFF official.

The AFC U-14 Festival of Football for the Central Asian countries saw the participation of 88 (four teams of 22 players each) children and was the first major event to be organised at the newly-constructed UFF Football Training Centre.

The aim of these festivals is to primarily provide teenaged players with an opportunity to play, enjoy and gain experience at an international level, besides creating a platform for grassroots coach and referee education.