Chelsea Football Club announced today the start of an unprecedented initiative to partner with America's top youth football clubs.

Chelsea is beginning to build a network of top youth clubs across America to develop Chelsea Soccer Schools, a new tournament called the Chelsea Sevens, coaching clinics and exchange programmes.

The first relationship is with one of the largest and most successful youth football clubs in the US, the Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) of North Carolina.

Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon said: 'Our new Chelsea youth super club network is the latest of many strategic projects Chelsea have in the US.

'They are all designed to assist the growth and development of US soccer at the grass roots as well as the top level. The youth movement in the United States is a massive part of that.

'CASL is clearly one of the leading American youth football clubs and I am delighted they are the first to become part of this project.

'We will be working with them to support player coaching and development and this will be beneficial for both organisations.

'In addition to our new partnership with CASL and continued support from key partners like adidas and Disney in the US Chelsea's work should positively impact youth soccer and the wider game in the US.

'This holistic approach is central to Chelsea's philosophy as a club and a business.'

Demonstrating Chelsea's commitment to grassroots player development, CASL is hosting three Chelsea Soccer Schools featuring courses from Chelsea Academy coaches in late June in North Carolina.

CASL also will plan an inaugural Chelsea Sevens tournament at the WRAL Soccer Center in North Carolina. The 7 v 7 tournament will be for boys and girls U-10 to U-18.

Individual Chelsea first-team players are likely to serve as special ambassadors to each youth club in the programme along with Chelsea Ladies midfielder and former US World Cup winner Lorrie Fair (pictured) also representing the programme.

As part of Chelsea's ongoing commitment to American soccer fans, Chelsea have brought the first team to the US for pre-season tours in the last four years.