A Zhejiang FC youth team plays a match. [Photo provided by Zhejiang FC]

Zhejiang FC Academy has become one of the first club academies in China to receive three-star membership under the AFC Elite Youth Scheme, the program's highest category.

The Chinese Football Association was also admitted as a three-star member, while Shanghai Shenhua FC Academy and Shandong Luneng Taishan Football School received the same academy status.

Founded in 1998, Zhejiang FC has built a continuous development pathway from the under-9 to under-20 levels. Its scouting network covers all 11 prefecture-level cities in Zhejiang and 15 major football cities elsewhere in China, supported by 12 partner training centers.

The academy follows a player-first coaching approach. Its training emphasizes clear principles, encouragement, and guided learning to help players become more independent. The club has worked with Japanese youth football programs since 2014.

Zhejiang Greentown Football School, established by the club in 2004, combines academic education with football training. More than 460 graduates have been admitted to universities, including Beijing Sport University, Tongji University, and Zhejiang University.

The club has supplied more than 180 players to Chinese national teams at different age levels and trained more than 200 professional players. Homegrown players account for more than 41 percent of its first-team squad.

Five members of the China team that reached the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup final came through Zhejiang FC. Senior internationals Zhang Yuning, Wang Yudong, Cheng Jin, and Liu Haofan are also academy graduates.