"Su Super League": Grassroots Football Matches Showcase New Momentum

BEIJING, June 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- A news report by China.org.cn on China's amateur football tournaments:

“Su Super League”: Grassroots Football Matches Showcase New Momentum

Recently, the Jiangsu Football City League (JSCL), dubbed the "Su Super League" or "Su Chao" by Chinese netizens, has gone viral. The phenomenal scenes at the matches have reignited public imagination about how popular provincial amateur football tournaments can be.

The 13 participating teams are named after their respective cities and feature a diverse profile of players – from professional footballers to college students, couriers, and office workers — whoever can deliver the best performance gets to play on the pitch. Right, it's just that simple. While the familiar sportsmanship motto in China goes "Friendship First, Competition Second", that sentiment has taken on a humorous twist. The teams are now competing in the spirit of "Competition First, Friendship 14th." That's right, because with 13 teams fiercely contending, friendship can only come in 14th place.

Fans, too, have responded with enthusiasm. On May 10th, when the tournament kicked off, the host city feared a lukewarm turnout and gave away free tickets. But currently, as the fourth round goes on, it is almost impossible to secure a ticket. Now with each match averaging 25,000 spectators, the event can rival professional football tournaments in attendance rate.

As the Su Chao craze continues to heat up, many of the originally designated venues have proven to be too small to accommodate over 10,000 spectators. Therefore, some cities managed to offer the Su Chao professional football pitches that can meet FIFA standards.

While great football is essential, that just won't cut it – all skills and no memes only make the Su Chao a dull game. At every game, the competing teams always craft jokes for themselves based on their cities' local specialties or cultures. For example, the showdown between Nanjing, which is famous for its salted ducks, and Wuxi, known for its juicy peaches, has become a clash of "Sweet vs Savory," which taps into a long-standing culinary debate that borders on the philosophical for the Chinese. The pre-match poster from Wuxi said it all: "Lose, and the peaches get 'as-salted'; win, and the salted ducks get 'sugar-bombed'."

Scenes from the Su Chao evoke a sense of déjà vu. Do you remember our previous episodes about "Cun Chao", the "Village Super League," where 50,000 fans showed up, some even carried ladders just to get a glimpse of the action? Or the VBA, the "Village Basketball Association," which even Yao Ming said he wanted to attend, but was worried about missing out on a ticket? In recent years, one grassroots sporting event after another has gone viral in China. The growing demand for a healthier lifestyle, the expansion of public sporting infrastructure and the integration of local ethnic cultures have collectively unleashed robust vitality in sports at the grassroots level.

Moreover, the energy sparked by these games is not just limited to the pitch. Previously, with the growing popularity of "Cun Chao," the local comprehensive tourism revenue of Rongjiang County in 2024 increased by 28.64% year-on-year. Now, during the Su Super League tournament, a similar momentum is building: Team Yangzhou has transformed the halftime into a showcase of their intangible cultural heritage; Team Nanjing launched "Tour Nanjing with Su Chao" activities, offering shopping, dining, and accommodation discounts for spectators with their Su Chao match ticket stubs. Some cities have gone even further, offering free entry to local scenic spots for fans visiting from rival cities. The charm of competitive sports, in concert with supportive government policies in culture, tourism and consumption, has worked hand in hand to fuel the appeal of these grassroots sporting events.

Whether it's a battle for ballgame glory deep in the mountain villages, or a high-level showdown on a city's green pitch, people from all walks of life break a sweat to strive for the top honor in these sporting competitions. In them, we witness not only the purest form of sportsmanship, but also the vibrance of China's cities and countryside, which also reflects the potential for innovation in China's economic and social fabric. These passionate sports fields have become snapshots that epitomize daily life and well-being in China today.

China Mosaic
"Su Super League": Grassroots Football Matches Showcase New Momentum