Set to kick off on Saturday, the 2026 Guangdong City Football Super League — an amateur event bringing together teams from all 21 cities in the province for the first time — will deliver innovative gameplay and a convenient viewing experience as part of the drive to build another flagship grassroots football brand in China.

Following a grand opening ceremony in early April, the Jiangsu Football City League — which sparked a nationwide boom in spectatorship and consumption last summer — is continuing to expand its influence through the celebrity effect and deep integration with the cultural and tourism industries.

On a larger scale than the Jiangsu tournament, the Guangdong league involves 826 players from all 21 teams representing their respective cities, and no professional players will participate. Among the participants, 41 percent are university students, while the rest are freelancers, members of football clubs/training academies, and employees of enterprises and institutions.

The 123 matches will span about six months, taking place on weekends across various cities. The knockout stage will begin in late August, and the final will be held in late October.

The first match will be played between Guangzhou and Jiangmen on Saturday evening at Yuexiushan Stadium in Guangzhou.

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Tickets for regular matches in the Guangdong league only cost 8.8 yuan ($1.28), cheaper than the 20-yuan tickets for matches in the Jiangsu league. Ticket holders can enjoy various travel and shopping discounts in the province.

As of mid-April, more than 72,000 people had registered with the Guangdong league’s official online ticketing platform. The tickets have been issued via a random lottery after registration.

At this year’s tournament, players who complete a specific goal-scoring move, achieve a “hat-trick”, or top the scorer charts, will receive corresponding rewards. E-commerce platform Taobao will also provide an on-site “food delivery to the stadium” service for in-person spectators at matches.

Yuan Lin, a retired professional soccer player from Guangdong, who will lead the Shenzhen team competing in the event, said he hopes the local league will strengthen its ties with Hong Kong, Macao, and the international soccer community to further enhance its influence.

Contact the writer at bingcun@chinadailyhk.com