2003
AsiaEurope Football Festival
Using Football to Bring Cultures Together
The UK's First National Football Festival Highlighting Asian Football
After several years of regional tournaments, Majid Lavji took the AsiaEurope Football Festival to the next level in 2003, developing it into a national football festival designed to showcase Asian and ethnic-minority participation and talent within the UK game.
The first national event was hosted in Liverpool with the support of Liverpool City Council, which recognised the potential of the initiative and the importance of creating greater opportunities and visibility for communities that remained significantly underrepresented within professional football.
BBC News, 8 August 2003 — “Premiership eyes Asian players” 
Newspaper coverage — “Asian footballers eye the big time” 
Liverpool City Council media release, 29 September 2003 
Liverpool City Council media release, 7 August 2003
The festival attracted around 100 teams from across the UK and brought players together with coaches, scouts and representatives from the wider football industry. It gained support from major football organisations, including The Football Association and the Professional Footballers' Association, alongside Premier League clubs and talent scouts. The wider initiative also received backing from football, public-sector and government-related organisations as its profile continued to grow.
For Majid, the 2003 festival represented a major step forward. What had started as regional tournaments was now becoming a nationally recognised football platform, connecting grassroots players with the professional game while raising awareness of the considerable football talent within Britain's Asian communities.
The success of Liverpool helped establish AsiaEurope as a much broader football organisation and created the foundations for the academy, international development and professional football projects that followed.
Majid's Role
Founder and project creator.
His involvement included concept development, partnerships, football relationships, promotion and the wider development of the event.
Why It Matters Today
The project required many of the same abilities needed in wider football-business development:
- Creating a concept
- Building partnerships
- Engaging stakeholders
- Understanding communities
- Creating a football brand
- Delivering an event
- Developing relationships across organisations
The AsiaEurope Football Festival became the foundation for the wider AsiaEurope football and sports network.
Testimonials
What Was Said at the Time
“There is one Asian professional footballer in England. That's a scandal. Why? Because they feel excluded. Ask clubs such as Walsall or Bury, where the best teenage footballers are in their areas. They'll say it's the Asian kids who play on the street and develop close control. Get them in, make them feel welcome. We support the AsiaEurope Football Festival.”
Sir Alex FergusonManager, Manchester United Football Club from 1986 – 2013 “I support the AsiaEurope Football Festival in promoting ethnic football in the UK. I also want to pass on to everyone taking part my good wishes and for a successful festival.”
Tony BlairPrime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 – 2007 “Sport England supports the AsiaEurope Football Festival, which is an impressive initiative to get more people from Asian and ethnic communities involved in sport. There must be a wealth of talent among young Asian players which has yet to reach its full potential. This tournament can make that happen.”
Roger DraperChief Executive, Sport England from 2003 to 2006 “We fully support the aims and objectives of what AsiaEurope Football are doing in promoting Asian and ethnic football in the UK.”
Fred HunterThe Football Association / Liverpool County FA “The government is keen to see sport being used as a tool for bringing together ethnic communities in the UK. We give our support to AsiaEurope Football in highlighting ethnic football in the UK. The Department wishes you every success on the weekend of the football festival.”
Department of Culture, Media & Sport “AsiaEurope Football Festival is an opportunity for football organisations to come together in support of ethnic minorities in the UK and to break down the stereotypical barriers.”
Majid LavjiFounder & Director, AsiaEurope Football
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If any of this experience is relevant to a challenge or opportunity at your club, Majid is happy to have a confidential conversation.