More than just a game

The Village Super League in Rongjiang county, Guizhou province is renowned for its festival-like atmosphere and authentic grassroots feel. The various ethnic groups of Rongjiang are well-represented both on and off the pitch in the league — with cheerleaders wearing traditional ethnic costumes providing the prematch and halftime entertainment. [Photo/ddcpc website]

Village league becomes nationwide hit with its beguiling blend of local pride and color

Guess what the most popular soccer competition in China is right now. If you thought it was the Chinese Super League, then think again.

With its festival-like atmosphere and free-scoring, free-flowing action, a village soccer tournament in Rongjiang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, has captured the imagination of fans, media and even overseas stars.

Organized and played by locals, the amateur tournament has been dubbed Cun Chao, or Village Super League, by Chinese netizens.

On Weibo, hashtags and topics related to the league have garnered over 200 million views, with several Cun Chao highlight videos racking up millions of likes on the Douyin platform.

The down-to-earth nature of Cun Chao even caught the attention of former England and Liverpool forward Michael Owen, who recorded a video to show his support.

"I want to say congratulations to Cun Chao for all your success, for getting all the good results in football. I wish Cun Chao all the very best for the future. I'm sure you're gonna get better and better," said Owen.

Celebrating diversity

From May to July this year, 20 teams from Rongjiang county are participating in Cun Chao, with matches played on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. Divided into two groups, the teams compete in round-robin matches and a knockout stage, with the final scheduled for July 29.

The players hail from diverse backgrounds. Vendors, farmers, tilers, butchers, and factory workers all lace up their boots on weekends, and hail from a variety of ethnic groups, including Miao, Dong, Shui, Han, and Yao.

With free admission to games, the stands of the county's stadium are often full to capacity, with spectators standing, squatting and using every possible vantage point to catch a glimpse of the action due to the demand for seats.

According to the local government, the average attendance of Cun Chao matches exceeds 10,000, putting it on a par with the country's professional league, the CSL.

For many spectators who travel from far and wide to watch games, the league is about more than just the action on the pitch.

With Rongjiang county home to 15 ethnic groups, and ethnic minorities making up more than 83 percent of its 385,000 population, the prematch and halftime entertainment celebrates this diversity.

Cheerleading squads dressed in traditional ethnic costumes carry local specialties on their shoulders, play the reed pipe, and dance as they enter the field alongside the players. Spectators can also enjoy folk-song and dance performances at the interval.

The atmosphere at the venue was so electric during one match that renowned TV commentator Han Qiaosheng had to climb a ladder to provide commentary.

Han, who usually plies his trade at major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and the Olympics, said he found the Village Super League to be unique and entertaining.

David Geary, a soccer enthusiast from the United Kingdom, attended a Cun Chao match last Saturday, and was impressed by the league's grassroots credentials.

"Football brings people together, which is at the core of sports. In Cun Chao, all the villagers come to support their local teams, and that's what football should be like," said Geary.

Government support

Cun Chao has certainly put Rongjiang on the soccer map. However, despite its seemingly rapid rise to fame, the county has a long-standing tradition in the sport.

According to Lin Tao, a local government official, soccer was introduced to Rongjiang county in the 1940s and has since become an integral part of the locals' lives. In 2021, Rongjiang was listed by the Chinese Football Association as one of its "model counties" for soccer development.

Li Mingxing, the head of the county's soccer association, admitted proper facilities were sparse in the past, with even standard-sized pitches hard to come by.

But those conditions never deterred the locals from pursuing their soccer dreams. Whether on paddy fields, river banks, or rugged terrain, residents always found a way to enjoy a kickabout.

In recent years, governments of all levels have increased efforts to promote development in rural China, resulting in the expansion and improvement of local sports venues and fitness facilities.

Rongjiang currently has more than 30 village soccer teams and 14 standard soccer pitches, according to Lin.

"The upgrade of sports facilities has laid a solid foundation for events like this to flourish and encourage more people in the countryside to engage in physical activities," he said.

Rural vitalization

Cun Chao is just the latest rural sports phenomenon to sweep China.

A village basketball tournament, also in Guizhou province, has become a huge hit — both online and offline. Known as CunBA, or Village BA, among netizens, its grassroots feel and connection to community has resonated with the public in the same way as Cun Chao.

"The leagues are the result of the country's rural vitalization campaign and, in turn, will contribute to rural vitalization," said Qin Chuan, a columnist for a Wuhan-based newspaper.

Building on the success of Cun Chao, the Rongjiang County government is developing local tourism and the economy, much like Taipan village is doing with CunBA.

"During competition days, two to three hundred stalls are set up around the stadium to sell local products," said Xiong Zhuqing from Fengle village, who sells homegrown watermelons.

"We can earn up to 4,000 yuan (about $560) in one night."

Xu Bo, the head of Rongjiang county's government, revealed village teams outside of Rongjiang have been invited to Cun Chao in the hope of expanding the league into a nationwide competition.

"We will continue to leverage the Cun Chao brand to boost rural vitalization, ignite people's passion for soccer, and nurture a pure and authentic atmosphere for the game to thrive," said Xu.