Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Pyongyang: The opening 2017 AFC Cup match of Group I will be a historic moment for hosts 4.25 SC as the DPR Korea club will make their debut in the continental competition. However, for visitors Erchim FC of Mongolia, it will not only also be their inaugural AFC Cup tie but an important step for a nation that has spent years in the footballing wilderness.
In this exclusive profile the-AFC.com delves into the current state of football in the land-locked nation and how the Mongolian Football Federation plans to improve standards with a focus on youth development and nationwide exposure.
On The Up
Sandwiched between the global powerhouses of China and Russia, Mongolia is the world’s 19th largest yet most sparsely populated independent nation. Around half of the 2.8 million population live in the capital, Ulaanbaatar.
The national sport, wrestling, is one of the traditional ‘Three Manly Skills’ of Mongolia – the other two being archery and horsemanship – and is where the country has excelled in a sporting sense. Nine of its 26 Olympic medals have come in wrestling since first competing at the Games in 1964. The remainder have been in judo, boxing and shooting.
While football has enjoyed a certain level of popularity over the years, it has remained some way from the forefront of Mongolia’s sporting culture.
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