Xinhua Headlines: China's Village Super League kicks off new chapter in global exchange

* Kicking off on January 4, the new Village Super League season features over 3,000 players from 108 village teams, up from 62 teams last year.

* During the Chinese Spring Festival holiday, the event lasts four days, offering special appeal for tourists.

* The appeal of the event that combines sport and culture has spread far beyond China, with over 1,100 football lovers from more than 50 countries and regions having participated in friendly matches since 2023.

by Xinhua writers Wu Si and Luo Yu

GUIYANG, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- David Geary, a football enthusiast from the U.K., has found a special connection in the heart of southwest China.

A fan of the Village Super League, known as Cun Chao, Geary has played for the Liubaitang Village team for two consecutive years. For Geary, playing alongside former Brazil international Kaka in the league was a once-in-a-lifetime memory from 2024.

"It's nice to see people playing football and cheering for their villages. I'm proud to be a part of it, and proud to be from Rongjiang," said Geary at the opening ceremony of the event's new season.

SHOWCASING ETHNIC CULTURES

The new Village Super League season, which kicked off on January 4, features over 3,000 players from 108 village teams, up from 62 teams last year.

During the Chinese Spring Festival holiday, the event lasts from February 1 to 4, both at day and nighttime, offering special appeal for tourists.

Watching the Village Super League on site for the first time, Gong Yi, a tourist from Chengdu, Sichuan Province, shared his impression on the event that combines sport and culture.

"Young football players play hard on the pitch, and local ethnic people are enthusiastic. We enjoyed the football event and local ethnic culture," he said.

Since its inception in 2023, the Guizhou Village Super League has become a phenomenon, both at home and abroad, not just for its sporting action, but for the vibrant cultural celebrations that accompany it.

The Dali Dong Village team is participating for the first time. Yang Bo, the team's assistant coach, said the Village Super League has raised the profile of local football and given exposure to ethnic villages in Rongjiang.

Last year, Dali Dong Village received nearly 100,000 tourists. Yang, who now runs a homestay, noted the event led to a surge of visitors, helping him earn 200,000 yuan (27,600 U.S. dollars) in 2024.

Rongjiang County, home to 28 ethnic groups including the Dong, Miao, Shui, Yao and Bouyei peoples, offers a unique cultural backdrop to the event. The league showcases the county's rich traditions through performances of traditional songs, dances and clothing.

"It's not just football that attracts people, but also the ethnic cultures, the different aspects of the cultures like clothing, singing and dancing," said Geary, who lived in Liubaitang Village during part of his childhood while his parents researched the Dong culture.

Li Sha, head of Rongjiang County's cultural center, said that since May 2023, more than 600 cultural performances have been staged at the Village Super League, with most of them put on by local ethnic minorities.

French singer Christophe Hisquin, who has visited Guizhou seven times, performed at the league's opening ceremony. "The atmosphere here is great, and it's the culture and football mixed together," he said.

INCREASING CONNECTIVITY

The Village Super League's appeal has spread far beyond China. Since 2023, the Village Super League has drawn over 1,100 football lovers from more than 50 countries and regions - including France, Liberia and the United States - to participate in friendly matches. The influx of international players and fans has increasingly made Rongjiang a global hub for football and cultural exchange.

On New Year's Eve, 25 young Ethiopian football enthusiasts visited Rongjiang, putting on a spectacular football and cultural performance.

Abrham Degu, captain of the Ethiopian team, was moved by the local people's enthusiasm and hospitality.

"It's my first time to play football in front of so many spectators, which was an unforgettable experience and a wonderful memory," he said.

After obtaining a master's degree in China in 2020, Degu formed a club with dozens of members in his hometown. Before traveling to Rongjiang, he witnessed online how the Village Super League had fostered international exchanges.

"Football is a universal language. Maybe we have different languages or cultures, but once we stand on the football pitch, we can all find common ground," he said.

For many locals in Rongjiang, the league's global appeal has also created opportunities to travel outside the province.

Dong Yongheng runs a shop selling steamed rice rolls and usually plays football with friends in his spare time. As the Golden Boot winner of the 2023 Village Super League, he was invited to play friendly matches with several overseas teams in Rongjiang last year.

From July 25 to August 1 last year, Dong and five other football lovers from Rongjiang visited France at the invitation of a Paris-based volunteer association. The group toured the French capital's landmarks before taking part in a friendly match and cultural exchange activities.

Looking to the future, the Village Super League is poised to grow even further.

Xu Bo, head of Rongjiang County, announced plans for a Village Super League World Cup in 2028, aiming to bring together grassroots football enthusiasts from around the world for a grand celebration of sport and culture.

"The Village Super League has not only brought Rongjiang international recognition but also helped promote social and economic development," Xu said. "It's a platform that encourages people-to-people exchanges, while also fostering a shared vision for a better, more connected world."

(Video reporters: Chen Qiang and Wu Si; Video editors: Zhang Yichi and Luo Hui)  ■