Xinhua Headlines: Derby Fever: How Jiangsu's amateur football league captivates China with sibling rivalry

*The "Su Super League," grassroot tournament Jiangsu Football City League (JSCL), has taken China by storm with packed stadiums, viral memes, and over 900 million views on Douyin after just three rounds.

*Fueled by fierce regional pride and cultural rivalry among 13 cities, the league blends football with food, folklore and tourism, turning matches into full-blown festivals.

*With student-athletes, delivery workers, and programmers sharing the pitch, the JSCL is not just a sports event, but a living mosaic of urban identity, economic synergy, and collective nostalgia.

by sportswriters Dong Yixing and Wang Hengzhi

NANJING, June 7 (Xinhua) -- When the final whistle blew at Zhenjiang Sports and Exhibition Center on May 10, launching the inaugural Jiangsu Football City League (JSCL) in eastern China, few anticipated the provincial amateur tournament would ignite China's latest sports phenomenon.

Yet after just three rounds, the competition - dubbed the "Su Super League" by netizens - has become a cultural force. Single-game attendance peaked at 22,613 during a June 1 match in Yancheng - a figure nearing the average attendance of the 2025 Chinese Super League (CSL) season - while related content on Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, has surpassed 900 million views.

The league's viral slogan, "Competition First, Friendship 14th", perfectly encapsulates Jiangsu's unique regional dynamics. "We're 13 siblings who compete fiercely but share the same blood," chuckled a Nanjing fan waving a roasted duck toy at Wuxi rivals.

This identity springs from deep geographical and historical roots. The Yangtze and Huai rivers physically divide the province into three distinct zones - wealthy South Jiangsu, a transitional middle belt, and historically agricultural North Jiangsu. Historical administrative divisions have also cemented strong local identities.

Today, the eastern Chinese economic powerhouse thrives through this "disassembly." All 13 cities rank among China's top 100 by GDP, fueling what locals call the "Thirteen Brothers" rivalry. This manifests in mutually unintelligible dialects, culinary battles like Nanjing's salted duck versus Wuxi's peaches, and citizens who identify more with their hometowns than with the province as a whole.

The intensity of these local identities has birthed viral "regional derbies." When Nantong surged to the top of the standings, its self-proclaimed "Nan Ge" (big brother Nan) status ignited fierce pushback from Nanjing fans, who plastered social media with "Nanjing is the real Nan Ge."

"The 'Su Super League's' explosive popularity stems from this unique regional culture," said Wang Xiaowan, vice president of the Jiangsu Football Association. "Each city's distinct character and healthy rivalry created fertile ground for football."

For fans like Peng Dalian, a 40-year football veteran who brought his family to Yancheng's stadium, the tournament fills a void left by the sudden disbandment of former CSL champion Jiangsu Suning FC in 2021 - an event that left the province without a top-flight team.

"That disbandment is a forever pain," Peng admitted. "But our love for football never fades. Now I am finally able to cheer for my home team on home turf."

While maintaining professional standards, all 13 cities have transformed matches into cultural showcases. Wuxi's laser show danced to the melancholic melody of Erquan Yingyue, Yangzhou dazzled halftime crowds with lacquerware and paper-cutting displays, and Nantong adorned its stadium with traditional indigo fabrics.

The phenomenon transcends sport, becoming a model of synergy between athletics, culture, tourism, and consumption. Despite losing to Yangzhou in the third round, Changzhou extended a warm welcome 48 hours before kickoff. During the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, all of Changzhou's Grade-A attractions - including China Dinosaur Park, Tianmu Lake and Qingguo Lane - offered free entry to visitors with Yangzhou ID cards.

"I came for football but received a gift from the whole city," said Chen Cheng, a Yangzhou native working in Changzhou. "Tomorrow I'll take my child to the Dinosaur Park. Changzhou people are so warm!"

In Yancheng, match tickets doubled as vouchers for local scenic spots and street food, including egg pancakes. Changzhou's 9.9 yuan (1.38 U.S. dollars) "ticket + pickled radish fried rice" combo doubled online sales of the dish, while Zhenjiang's night markets glowed with "Go Zhenjiang Team" lanterns as barbecue smoke mingled with chants.

"The league converts football fever into urban development momentum," noted an official from the Jiangsu Sports Bureau. "Results exceeded expectations - boosting dining, lodging and transport while revealing each city's unique charm."

At the heart of the tournament are its 516 players, aged 16 to 40. Of them, 65 percent juggle day jobs as delivery workers, programmers, teachers, students and more - including 85 university students, 69 high school or vocational students, 29 professionals, and 337 amateurs.

Six players from the Suqian team will sit for China's national college entrance exam between the third and fourth rounds. "I'm hoping to gain admission to Nanjing Sport Institute," said Wang Zhichen, a senior at Suyu High School. "Our coaches provided tailored training sessions, and school teachers offered tremendous support, often giving us personalized tutoring. My academic performance has improved significantly as a result."

According to the Jiangsu Sports Bureau, total live attendance has already reached 195,700. Online viewership surged from over 700,000 during the first round to more than 17.09 million by the third round.

Resale ticket prices have skyrocketed to 620 yuan (86 U.S. dollars), far exceeding the original price of 5 to 20 yuan (0.70 to 2.78 U.S. dollars). By comparison, CSL champion Shanghai Port charges 1,880 yuan (261 U.S. dollars) for a season ticket covering all league and cup home matches.

Leveraging sports to boost tourism is not new. Before the "Su Super League" went viral, Guizhou's "Village Super League" in Rongjiang County captivated the nation with its rural flair. Players there - farmers, butchers, teachers - competed purely for passion, with prizes consisting mainly of local agricultural products and accompanied by vibrant ethnic performances.

That grassroots tournament also sparked a tourism boom. According to Rongjiang authorities, over 409,300 tourist visits were recorded during this year's May Day holiday, a 10.5 percent increase year-on-year, generating 406 million yuan (56.48 million U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue, up 12.8 percent.

Similarly, the "Su Super League" is channeling regional pride through an urban lens. "This fusion of football and cultural tourism is quietly strengthening our city's cohesion," said Peng.

With the regular season running through September 27, several teams have requested to move home matches to larger, professional stadiums. Suzhou will host its fifth- and 13th-round games at the Kunshan Olympic Center - a FIFA-standard stadium with a capacity of about 45,000. The top eight teams will advance to the playoffs, which conclude on November 2.

"Football isn't just about the score. It's a contest of spirit," said Changzhou coach Fan Yi. "Victory or defeat is fleeting, but the bonds we build endure."  ■