“Su-per League”- China’s Grassroots Football Weaves Culture, Community and Cash丨CBN Perspective
Hello! Welcome to this edition of CBN Perspective. I’m Stephanie Li.
While many fans eagerly count down to the next FIFA World Cup, football fever has already surged through eastern China. Stadiums pulse with human waves, bars are packed, and social media is ablaze - all in celebration of an amateur football league known as the "Su Super League."
Named with tongue-in-cheek flair after the English Premier League and the Chinese Super League, the electrifying grassroots phenomenon has become an Internet sensation, eclipsing even the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup in domestic popularity.
Comprising 13 teams, each representing a city in Jiangsu Province, the Jiangsu Football City League has captured the hearts of millions. Five derbies in the league's fourth round drew an average of more than 25,000 spectators per match, surpassing the average attendance of China's top-tier league this year.
Despite featuring mainly amateur players -- more than 65 percent of whom have day jobs -- the league has attracted remarkable public attention, as related content has amassed over 7 billion views on Douyin, China's version of TikTok, as of last Friday.
But beyond the numbers lies something more profound. The euphoria on display is producing more than goals and glory - it is forging vibrant connections between sport, cities and communities, casting a powerful arc across China's sports economy and hinting at its untapped potential.
On the evening of June 15, a basement battle between home team Wuxi and neighboring Changzhou drew 25,655 fans, their cheers rising in thunderous unison. The local derby aired on 24 online platforms, racking up more than 20 million live viewers.
According to leading services provider Meituan, search volume for the league spiked more than 16 times over the previous week. As of June 13, cumulative online views of the tournament had surpassed 5 billion.
Despite China's struggles on the international football stage, passion for the sport runs deep in cities and communities across the country. Unlike its professional counterparts, the "Su Super League" draws players from all walks of life - high schoolers, couriers, IT workers and more.
The league's community-driven ethos has struck a chord. Originally priced at just 5 to 20 yuan, some tickets have been resold for as much as 620 yuan, reflecting the league's surging popularity.
Some cities have bundled match access with tourism packages, transforming football fervor into a local-economy driver. Wuxi offers buy-one-get-one-free honey peach sales, free shopping mall parking, and 40 percent off taxi rides.
Yangzhou opens state-run attractions for free on home-match weekends, with bundled discounts on hotels, restaurants and performances.
Nanjing has even launched a direct high-speed train route exclusively for away-game fans, offering round-trip service to rival city Huai'an, with second-class fare discounts.
Summed up neatly in the words of one fan: "I came for football and received a gift from the whole city."
Launched with just six sponsors, the "Su Super League" now counts 20 - including industry giants like JD.com and Yili Dairy. Sponsorship bids have reportedly reached 3 million yuan, with advertising slots in short supply.
The league has become a carnival of local pride and sporting delight, where laughter, banter and hometown loyalty intermingle in the stands and online. That fervor has fueled a boom in local tourism and cultural consumption.
Government figures underscore the league's economic impact. From June 13 to 15, Wuxi's tourism and cultural spending via UnionPay hit 581 million yuan, up 21 percent from the previous weekend. Nighttime cultural spending alone jumped 31 percent on match day.
During the league's third round, which coincided with the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, six host cities saw intercity tourism and cultural spending rise 14.6 percent via UnionPay. Jiangsu welcomed 12.41 million visitors and recorded 4.69 billion yuan in tourism revenue.
The tournament has also driven strong demand for football field construction and equipment upgrades, according to CMG. From boots, jerseys, and fan towels to artificial turf and stadium facilities, related enterprises across Jiangsu are ramping up production to meet the surge.
At a recent provincial economic briefing, Jiangsu Governor Xu Kunlin urged officials to "fully leverage city football leagues to drive deep integration of culture, tourism, sports and commerce, and promote a consumption-driven economy."
"Sporting events now drive not only massive crowds, but also targeted tourism consumption," said Wu Guoping, chairman of a cultural tourism development company in Wuxi. "This is spurring cities to innovate and upgrade their tourism offerings."
The “Su Super League” has planted sports culture at the grassroots, and proven that the value of sports events extends far beyond the matches.
But what makes this league special is its deep roots in regional culture. Teams are nicknamed after the specialties of their cities - Wuxi is symbolized by honey peaches, while the provincial capital Nanjing by its famed salted duck.
Changzhou, still searching for its first win, has found unexpected fame through its dinosaur mascot and a flood of social media memes. Dinosaur Land, a landmark attraction in Changzhou, has seen a spike in popularity amid the buzz and related tourism campaigns. The land's cultural creative team swiftly launched a line of "dinosaur sister" plush toys, with sales surpassing 15,000 units as of June 22.
When fans flood social media with videos of inflatable peaches waving in stadiums or fighter jets releasing colored smoke during games, they’re not just cheering for teams; they’re showcasing the city’s vibrant spirit.
As one fan joked, "We’re not just watching football; we’re eating, shopping, and celebrating our hometowns all at once." This phenomenon reveals how a simple game can weave together community, culture, and commerce into a national sensation.
The success of cultural tourism lies in tapping into the inner needs of the general public. As China's economy grows, more people are seeking cultural and emotional fulfillment. The league has gained popularity and driven cultural tourism, precisely because it resonates with the emotional needs of everyday football fans and spectators.
From Village Super League and Village BA that went viral in 2022, to today’s "Su Super League,” together with phenomena across cinema, tech, design and sport in 2025 reveal an increasingly confident China that is telling its own stories in its own way.
They became new icons of Chinese culture and creativity which are not the result of top-down, state-led campaigns, but rather a dynamic expression of a nation that is becoming more diverse, imaginative and outward-looking.
Editor: LI Yanxia
Host: Stephanie LI
Writer: Stephanie LI
Sound Editor: Stephanie LI
Graphic Designer: ZHENG Wenjing, LIAO Yuanni
Produced by 21st Century Business Herald Dept. of Overseas News.
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