The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) and the Secretariat of Public Education (SEP) have joined forces to promote the well-being and sports development of Mexican children. This agreement was formalized with the signing of a Letter of Intent at the 'Professor Ponciano Rodríguez' primary school in Mexico City, where the organization of the National School Football Tournament was announced, which is expected to be the largest in the world with an estimated participation of around 12 million children.
Mario Delgado Carrillo, secretary of the SEP, expressed: "We have to form a great team and on this occasion, we are united by this national school football tournament that will be the largest in the world and where around 12 million boys and girls in primary school will be able to participate." He also highlighted the opening of an online preparatory school for young people seeking to become footballers, as well as for professional players who left their studies unfinished.
The interim commissioner of the FMF, Mikel Arriola, emphasized FIFA's support for this tournament, stating that "FIFA, today accompanies the efforts of the Federation and the highest educational authority in the country, which gives it a very relevant scale." He also mentioned the importance of strengthening values through this tournament and the initiative to bring primary schools closer to football stadiums in collaboration with Liga MX.
The president of the FMF, Ivar Sisniega, detailed that the tournament will be played in a 5 vs. 5 football format, with rules adapted to be held on multipurpose fields similar to those in most schools in Mexico. He also informed that FIFA supports the program by distributing more than 100,000 balls in schools across the country. The finals of the tournament are scheduled for the last days of June at the FMF facilities in Toluca.
This agreement between the FMF and the SEP, supported by FIFA, marks a milestone in the sports development of Mexican childhood with the aim of promoting physical activity, values, and integration through large-scale school football across the country.
