2008
AsiaEurope Football Academy, The Gambia
Establishing a Football Development Base in West Africa
In 2008, Majid Lavji established the AsiaEurope Football Academy in The Gambia, expanding his football-development work beyond the UK and into West Africa.
The academy was created to provide young Gambian players with a more structured environment in which to train, develop and compete, while also building stronger links between football in The Gambia and the wider international game.
Academy training, The Gambia 
Academy players 
Certificates and medals at the academy presentation
Majid's approach was focused on long-term development rather than simply identifying individual players. The aim was to create opportunities at grassroots and youth level, work with local coaches and football stakeholders, and provide young players with greater exposure to organised football.
The academy also became a platform for future tournaments, development programmes and international football relationships in the country.
For Majid, the establishment of the AsiaEurope Football Academy represented an important step in his career, giving him direct experience of building and operating an overseas football-development project and creating relationships within an emerging football market.
The work laid the foundations for AsiaEurope's wider involvement in Gambian football and for Majid's subsequent relationship with the country's football authorities.
The Wider Programme
Majid's work in West Africa became particularly established in The Gambia.
AsiaEurope developed youth-football and academy activity within the country and worked alongside local football stakeholders.
The objective was not simply to identify players.
The broader programme was focused around football participation, development, opportunities and international relationships.
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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.