Nurturing Young Football Enthusiasts With Arena Celcomdigi

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YB Hannah Yeoh, Minister of Youth and Sports alongside Datuk Kamal Khalid, CelcomDigi’s Chief Transformation Officer, Cheng Weng Hong, CelcomDigi’s Chief Sales and Retail Officer and Naquib bin Hamdan, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)’s Director of Culture, Arts, Tourism and Sports Department with the kids at the launch of CelcomDigi Kids Football Clinic at Taman Rimba Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.
CelcomDigi Berhad (“CelcomDigi”), through its Arena CelcomDigi platform, today launched the CelcomDigi Kids Football Clinic, an initiative aimed at inspiring children through football while advancing Arena CelcomDigi’s broader commitment to promote active lifestyles among Malaysians. The football clinic is a key part of Arena CelcomDigi’s mission to build a sustainable sporting ecosystem and broaden access to sports among young community members, offering these children a safe and inclusive space to learn, play, and grow through a structured training programme.


The launch was officiated by YB Hannah Yeoh, Minister of Youth and Sports alongside Datuk Kamal Khalid, CelcomDigi’s Chief Transformation Officer, Cheng Weng Hong, CelcomDigi’s Chief Sales and Retail Officer and Naquib bin Hamdan, Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL)’s Director of Culture, Arts, Tourism and Sports Department at Taman Rimba Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.


With the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports, DBKL and programme partner YFA Red Star Academy, the CelcomDigi Kids Football clinic is designed for children aged 12 and below, offering structured sports learning in a safe and inclusive environment. Beyond football skills, the programme focuses on character-building, discipline, and teamwork, guided by licensed football coaches through progressive training modules.


“Today’s launch is a great example of how public-private partnerships can create meaningful impact at the grassroots level. The collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports, DBKL, and CelcomDigi reflects how different entities can bring forward their strengths together to drive youth empowerment and community development. Programmes like the CelcomDigi Kids Football Clinic are essential as they promote healthy lifestyles among our younger generation while nurturing Malaysia’s future assets, our sports talents. We encourage more private organisations to work with the Ministry and government agencies to bring such initiatives to public parks nationwide, making them easily accessible to all Malaysians. I believe the country does not lack talent. We simply need more platforms like this to discover and develop them from an early age,” said YB Hannah at the launch.


“The CelcomDigi Kids Football clinic is more than a football programme for children. It is a community-driven movement powered by Arena CelcomDigi to bring Malaysia’s favourite sport to the heart of communities, making it easily accessible to every child. We aim to build a platform that nurtures young talent and strengthens community bonds through sports, starting here at Taman Rimba Kiara and expanding to  more public parks across Klang Valley and beyond, with the support of government agencies and partners,” said Datuk Kamal.


Taman Rimba Kiara was selected as the pilot location for its vibrant community spirit and easy access to diverse neighbourhoods, making it ideal for inclusive engagement. Held every Saturday, the football clinic welcomes all children who show interest and commitment, without the need for trials or selection. Since its pilot, the clinic has grown steadily, now attracting up to 70 children each week.  Guided by six seasoned coaches, each session focuses on age-appropriate training, teamwork, sportsmanship, and key life values.


Arena CelcomDigi is the company’s multi-faceted sports engagement to champion active lifestyles and nurture young talents through an inclusive platform that connects traditional and digital sports. It supports a diverse range of disciplines — from esports and pickleball to sepak takraw, lawn bowl and more, reflecting CelcomDigi’s commitment to celebrating both emerging and homegrown sports. By combining training opportunities, community engagement, and digital connectivity, Arena CelcomDigi empowers Malaysians to pursue their sporting passions and grow together through the spirit of play.

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