Levan Kobiashvili Nyon, 15 February 2020
President
Georgia Dear Levan, dear football friends,
On behalf of UEFA, I would like to congratulate everyone connected with the Georgian Football Federation on your 30th anniversary. Since its creation in February 1990 and subsequent admission to UEFA, the Georgian Football Federation (GFF) has been a valued member and supporter of European football.
Over the past three decades, numerous players from Georgia have graced Europe's top leagues, while we at UEFA also remember your fantastic hosting of one of the most memorable UEFA Super Cups in history in 2015.
We have been equally impressed by the GFF's commitment to developing football at all levels. You successfully hosted the UEFA European Under-19 Championship in 2017, with over 25,000 spectators turning up to watch your final group stage game against the Czech Republic.
This summer, attention will turn to the UEFA European Women's Under-19 Championship, which Georgia will organise, and we are confident this tournament will act as a springboard for the further development of women's football in your country, at both grassroots and professional level.
Matches will be played in three regions across the country, thus increasing the impact of UEFAfunded and federation-run legacy projects, which will help to raise the visibility of women's football linked to the final tournament.
Funding from UEFA's Women's Football Development Programme has already been used to support the women's national league, which consists of ten clubs and more than 200 players. Just as importantly, a club licensing process is being implemented which, among other things, will ensure that each dub has at least one youth team.
By investing in youth football, the GFF is making sure there will be a pool of players available who can compete for both the men's and the women's national teams in UEFA competitions in the future.
In addition, you are striving to provide your future generations with the best possible facilities in which to learn about the game. In cooperation with UEFA through its HatTrick programme, the GFF is building a National Football Academy, where national academy coaches will select 100 players in each of the four age categories, from Under-14 to U17, who will have the chance to study at the academy for free.
You are working also to give all sections of society the opportunity to be involved in the game we love - from being one of the first members of UEFA's Football in Schools initiative, to creating and nurturing a grassroots club culture. This foresight will enable you to build and develop partnerships with regional associations, municipalities, schools and other stakeholders, which will undoubtedly benefit everybody linked with football.
We are delighted too to see the GFF investing heavily in education, through the UEFA Academy, which has trained 21 members of your federation in programmes such as the UEFA Certificate in Football Management and the UEFA Diploma in Football Leadership and Management. The knowledge and expertise gained from these courses will help to train those working in football domestically, which is vital in order to keep the game growing in Georgia.
The sterling work undertaken by the GFF in promoting and developing football is already beginning to pay off, with your national team just two wins away from qualifying for UEFA EURO 2020 after sealing a play-off spot courtesy of an impressive showing in the new UEFA Nations League, finishing top of their group.
I would like to wish the GFF much success in the coming years, and I take this opportunity to pay special tribute to everyone working at the federation for their dedication and continuous efforts in shaping the future of football in the region for generations to come.
Congratulations on your anniversary and good luck in your quest to reach UEFA EURO 2020.
Yours sincerely, UEFA
Aleksander Ceferin
President