Soccer players from a Sao Paulo team arrive at the Village Super League stadium in Rongjiang county, Guizhou province, on Oct 3. [Photo by Wei Guijin/For China Daily]
Rongjiang county in Southwest China's Guizhou province has received a total of 16.91 million visits and achieved revenue of 19.08 billion yuan ($2.61 billion) since the launch of the Village Super League in 2023, according to Xu Bo, Party secretary of the county.
Rongjiang hosted the first session of the Village Super League in the summer of 2023. So far, it has drawn more than 1,300 teams from China and 1,160 international players from over 50 countries.
Outside the Village Super League, Rongjiang has set up six food zones, over 300 stalls selling agricultural specialties, and more than 1,600 food booths, boosting the local economy.
In November, young players from the Village Super League traveled to Brazil for a soccer cultural exchange. They visited the Maracanã Stadium and schools in Rio de Janeiro, where they interacted with local students in the classroom and played friendly soccer matches.
According to Xu, the Village Super League prioritizes long-term brand building and a brand ecosystem. This is because it is not just a soccer event but an important exploration of rural vitalization.
In 2025, Rongjiang plans to organize the first Village Super League National Championship in collaboration with various provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities across China.
The team that wins the championship will be invited to participate in subsequent Village Super League international friendly matches.