A qualifier match between Xiaorui village and Panxue village marked the start of the Guizhou Village Super League tournament on Jan 4 in Rongjiang county in Southwest China's Guizhou province, the birthplace of the hugely popular soccer events also known as Cun Chao.

　　The village super league has become a massive hit both in China and abroad, showcasing the immense popularity of the game among locals and the region's rich ethnic culture.

　　According to Wang Yonggui, deputy head of the Guizhou Village Super League office, as many as 3,000 players from 108 teams participated in the latest competition, which witnessed a sharp increase in scale compared with the previous two years. The league was born in 2023 with 20 local teams and has since attracted participants from across China and beyond.

　　Foreign students from Guizhou University and players of Jiangxi team in action during a Village Super League match in Rongjiang county, Guizhou province, in April. ZHOU GUANGSHENG/FOR CHINA DAILY