Grassroots soccer fever spreads across nation

The imitation game

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.