BEIJING, May 14 -- China has recently earmarked 500 million yuan (about 73 million U.S. dollars) in central budget incentive funds to support campus football development across the country, the Ministry of Finance said on Thursday.

The funding will support 41,000 primary and junior secondary schools featuring football programs nationwide in conducting football training, competitions and related activities, according to the ministry.

For the 2025-2026 period, the central government has allocated a total of 1 billion yuan from the central budget to support and guide local authorities in scaling up campus football initiatives, the ministry noted.

The ministry added that it will continue to guide local authorities to optimize spending structures to ensure smooth delivery of campus football training and competitions, help identify and cultivate football talent, and promote the sport's development in China.

The number of registered young football players in China has reached 109,200, up 24.88 percent over the past two years, according to data released by the Chinese Football Association in January.

China booked its place in the quarterfinals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup with a 2-0 win over Qatar on Tuesday, also securing qualification for this year's FIFA U17 World Cup in Qatar. It marked China's return to the premier U17 event for the first time since 2005.