Grassroots soccer fever spreads across nation
The Jiangsu Football City League phenomenon has ignited a nationwide wave of popular grassroots soccer leagues this summer, and rekindled supporters' passion for the sport.
Dubbed the "Jiangsu Super League" or "Suchao", the amateur provincial league has been a sensation — both online and in stadiums — loved for its huge crowds, exciting play, lively fan exchanges and viral memes.
Now soccer leagues in Jiangxi, Guangdong, and other provinces are also vying for the national spotlight by focusing on fierce inter-city rivalries, innovative formats, or rebranding existing competitions.
During the fourth round of the 2025 Jiangxi City Football Super League on Aug 2-3, more than 70,000 spectators packed stadiums across Yingtan, Shangrao, and Xinyu, with stands echoing with the roars of proud supporters.
The marquee match on Aug 2, when Yingtan hosted Jiujiang, drew 19,108 spectators. Over 1,100 Jiujiang fans traveled on Jiangxi's first soccer-dedicated high-speed train scheduled for the game.
"It was timely aid," said Huang Ruilu, vice-chairman of the Jiangxi Football Association. "Originally we planned to organize fan buses to Yingtan, but a one-way trip takes four hours. With matches ending around 10 pm, same-day return was nearly impossible. The special train arrived like coal in a snowstorm," he said.
Team chants and slogans reverberated through the train with no fear of disturbing other passengers. Among the fans was a 100-strong cheer squad of relatives and friends of Nie Haotian, a Jiujiang player.
The 22-year-old Renmin University student scored a crucial goal in a prior match against Jingdezhen.
"We've watched him grow up — we're so proud!" said one of Nie's neighbors "Sister Bao". "We were desperate to cheer him on during the match, to cheer for our city. Because Nie represents Jiujiang, all his loved ones have become fans of the Jiujiang team," she said.
Jiujiang triumphed 4-2 over the home side.
Jiangxi is now promoting its own inter-city league. The province's abbreviated name is "Gan" and the new league is nicknamed "Ganchao", or the Jiangxi Super League.
Since it kicked off on July 12, soccer fever has erupted in the 11 participating cities. The opening round's five matches sold out instantly, attracting 66,960 spectators in total.
One of the Ganchao's aims is to promote city pride and the cultural, tourism and culinary attractions of each participating team. A video posted by the Jiangxi Provincial Culture and Tourism Department on the Douyin platform garnered more than 24,000 likes and 12,000 comments.
Netizens from Jiangsu, famous for their cheeky fan banter, have now set their sights on the upstarts from Jiangxi.
"Finally, it's my turn to ask: What is Jiangxi's provincial capital?" one post read. Another alluded to Jiangsu's economic muscle and better infrastructure by saying, "How many Olympic Sports Centers does Jiangxi have?"
Despite the taunts, Jiangxi's city officials have not taken the bait. However, soccer teams in Jiangxi are carrying on Jiangsu's humorous tradition of ribbing each other.
After a match in Ganzhou, Pingxiang's official WeChat account published an open letter affectionately addressing Ganzhou as "Gan Gan", praising its navel oranges and recounting shared cultural and historical bonds.
Hours later, Ganzhou's account replied warmly to "Ping Ping", saying they were eagerly awaiting their next match in Pingxiang.
Netizens were moved by the cities' overly polite exchanges.
"LOL (laughing out loud), reading this feels like Gan Gan and Ping Ping are in a romantic relationship," commented one netizen. "The warmth in their interaction perfectly captures that blend of competition and intimacy between cities — like bickering lovers in a down-to-earth courtship. It's so warm and romantic."
The Jiangxi league's official slogan is: "In the name of football, fight for our city". Jin Ziwei, deputy director of the Jiangxi Provincial Sports Bureau, said the slogan aims to enhance urban pride among players and spectators, while showcasing the province's attractions.
The teams are made up of amateur players, with the average age 23, Jin said. Sixty percent are students while the others include teachers, chefs, taxi drivers, railway workers, businessmen, employees and civil servants.
Starting on July 12 and running for 110 days, the league's 66 matches are mostly played on weekends to facilitate fan travel and tourism.
After only four rounds, soaring attendance has triggered stadium upgrades across multiple host cities — from temporary stands to 20,000-seat sports centers.
编辑：熊睿
审核：刘毅 甘晶莹
监制：郑颖
