"We hope more girls will take an active part at fields, releasing their enthusiasm for football through the event." This was a message conveyed by "Live Your Goals" Festival, a global women's football promotion event held in Taiyuan, North China's Shanxi province on Nov 16.

More than 600 female football players from local primary schools attended the launching ceremony at local Yuying Primary School, taking part in six football games, such as a five-a-side football competition, a shot relay and a football juggling game.

An opening ceremony for "Live Your Goals" Festival, a global women's football promotion event, take place in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, Nov 16. [Photo/chinanews.com]

Launched by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association and Chinese Football Association, the six-year "Live Your Goals' program aims to raise football awareness among young girls and women, encourage more girls to play the game, and create a better environment for young women’s football.

"Students have great potential and a lot of enthusiasm for football, which can be seen from the trainings and games, but they lack further understanding of football," said Zhang Zhiyong, a football coach at Hougou Primary School in Xinhualing district, Taiyuan.

The women's football team led by Zhang won the championship in 2017 Shanxi Campus Football League Match though it was founded just two years ago. 'We will pay more attention to raising girls' football awareness when them the knowledge and skills of the sport," added Zhang.

The sport is attracting more budding players in Taiyuan which has been promoting youth football among girls in schools in recent years. There were 21 women football teams that joined the city's young women's football matches in 2017.

Girls play football at the field of Yuying Primary School in Taiyuan on Nov 16. [Photo/chinanews.com]

Ning xingmiao, a girl who has played football for two years, expressed her expectations for football and future after a game at the "Live Your Goals" Festival.

"Football is my favorite sport and I practice it for two to three hours every day. I want to be a physical education teacher in the future, allowing more girls like me to play football and love the game."

According to Shen Qingwei, an official of Taiyuan education bureau, the Shanxi stop of 2017 "Live Your Goals" Festival has attracted 15 schools from cities in Shanxi, such as Taiyuan, Lyuliang and Jinzhong. The event will continue its trip to six other schools from Nov 17 to 24, bringing more joy to growing women's football teams in Shanxi.