STORY: China's Village Super League kicks off new chapter in global exchange  
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: Feb. 4, 2025
LENGTH: 00:01:21
LOCATION: RONGJIANG, China 
CATEGORY: SPORTS 

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Village Super League
2. SOUNDBITE (English): DAVID GEARY, Football enthusiast from the UK

STORYLINE:

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.

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

Rongjiang County, home to 28 ethnic groups including the Dong, Miao, Shui, Yao and Bouyei peoples, offers a unique cultural backdrop to the event. 

Since 2023, the Village Super League has drawn over 1,100 football lovers from more than 50 countries and regions to participate in friendly matches.

A fan of the Village Super League, David Geary, a football enthusiast from the UK, has played for the Liubaitang Village team for two consecutive years.

SOUNDBITE (English): DAVID GEARY, Football enthusiast from the UK
"What I like most was that all the villagers come together, especially for Liubaitang. The first time I came, almost all the village people came out to cheer for the team, and they brought loads of food. I saw them making and preparing the food to share with everyone, and I think that just shows how welcoming and kind the people here are. And that's one of the best things. Another thing is how they take the (ethnic) culture and football and put them together, and I think that's also something that attracts people to the Village Super League."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Rongjiang, China.
(XHTV)