Turkmenistan has great potential for developing football talent, which requires developing infrastructure and introducing football programs in schools, FIFA Regional Technical Advisor Gayoz Darsadze told reporters during a training seminar in Ashgabat.

"One of FIFA's goals is to make football more global and give every talented player a chance. To achieve this, we need to increase the number of players worldwide. Turkmenistan, especially Ashgabat and the surrounding regions, has great potential," the expert said.

Darsadze emphasized that talented players may exist in Turkmenistan's regions, who need to be identified and provided with the conditions for their development.

“We need to find them, create an environment for them to play football, find them, and then give them the opportunity to develop in a modern direction,” he noted.

According to him, this will allow us to provide talent to both professional clubs, including Arkadag, and the Turkmenistan national team in the future. The FIFA regional consultant particularly emphasized the importance of developing amateur football to create a long-term platform for professional football in the country.

"In order to improve the amateur football landscape in the long term and create an appropriate platform for professional football, the development of amateur football is essential," Darsadze explained.

The expert noted the importance of cooperation among all stakeholders in this process. Among the key areas, he highlighted expanding sports infrastructure and introducing football programs in schools.

"Increasing the number of these programs will help increase the number of players involved in the country. This is very important, especially in this age of technology, when children are very focused on technology, and they can play sports and lead a healthy lifestyle," he added.

Darsadze expressed gratitude to the leadership of Turkmenistan for their support of the development of football.

"I'm pleased to see the activities being undertaken in Turkmenistan and the work being carried out by the technical departments of the Football Federation of Turkmenistan. Arkadag's success is impressive; it's amazing. I want to thank the National Leader and the President of Turkmenistan for their contribution to the development of football," the expert said.

According to Darsadze, the purpose of the FIFA experts' visit to Turkmenistan is focused on the future development of football in the country. FIFA has conducted an analysis of the amateur football environment in 185 countries, the results of which are being shared with national federations.

"We provided this analysis, and the Federation has already taken certain steps, and certain issues have been resolved. We see many stakeholders in the development of amateur football," the regional consultant noted.

The expert also reported that FIFA is working closely with the Football Federation of Turkmenistan and its technical department as part of the Talent Development Scheme program. A workshop on identifying talent in the modern world was recently held.

Speaking about the upcoming AFC Champions League Round of 16 match between Arkadag and Al-Nasr, Darsadze wished the Turkmen club success.

"I wish Arkadag nothing but success. One of Arkadag's fans is standing before you, and I will be rooting for him. I am your loyal fan and friend," he said.

The meeting discussed the current state and development of amateur football in Turkmenistan, ongoing projects, plans, and priority areas. Participants exchanged views on the most effective ways to develop amateur football in the country's regions, the potential for organizing mass football events, and the importance of incorporating best international practices into national practice.