Yangcheng Evening News reporters Li Tingting, Huang Songwei, Lu Hang, correspondent Sanxuan reported: On the evening of July 4, the 11th Foshan Sports Games and the 19th Foshan “La Liga” Football League officially opened at Yunxiushan Stadium in Sanshui District. The scale of this Foshan “La Liga” event was unprecedented. After more than a month, 40 strong teams across the country competed for the championship, which will give fans nearly 100 exciting events. It is reported that there is no ticket required for the competition.
At present, the atmosphere of the 15th Games is becoming increasingly strong. The 11th Games of Foshan and the 19th Foshan “La Liga” Football League actively respond to the national strategy of “National Fitness”, and are committed to hosting a sports event that tests competitive level, promotes national fitness, and displays the city image, polishes the city IP of “mountain, river, Foshan and civil and military” and contributes the strength of cultural, radio, tourism and sports to “re-create a new Foshan”.
Huo Qishan and Chen Baixiang appear to “support” La Liga
It is reported that the scale of this Foshan “La Liga” event hit a record high, with a total of 40 teams participating in the event. The competitive and ornamentality of the event were fully upgraded, and the Lingnan style, industrial flavor and mass nature became stronger.
At the opening ceremony, the program “Longteng Shengzhang” is designed with the construction of Foshan’s “Four Mountains and Two Rivers” cultural and tourism boutique area and the construction of the pilot area around the two rivers as the design theme. It integrates the core images of the century-old football and the thousand-year-old character bay. Intangible cultural heritage such as Cantonese opera and dragon dance are complemented by modern elements such as street dance and rap, bringing shocking audio-visual enjoyment to the audience.
Hong Kong artist Chan Baixiang, an old coach of Sanshui football and a young player, talked about the century-old inheritance of Sanshui football. Ho Ying-Tong Group Vice President, Chairman of the China Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Hong Kong Football Association, also appeared at Yunxiushan Stadium to present football to the old coaches and small players. In 1984, Yunxiushan Stadium was upgraded and reopened. Mr. Ho Ying-tung, then vice president of the Asian Football Association, participated in the ribbon cutting and kicked off for the “Yijiang Cup” football match. Now, his grandson Huo Qishan visits Yunxiushan Stadium again to witness a new chapter in Sanshui sports.
It is expected to attract more than 2 million viewers
As a famous “grassroots football” event brand in Guangdong, the Foshan “La Liga” League has gone through 23 years of glorious history: in 2002, the Foshan “La Liga” eleven-a-side grassroots football match was born. After 23 years of precipitation and cultivation, the event has become popular in Guangdong and has become the top grassroots football player in the Greater Bay Area.
At around 20:00 on the 4th, the opening match of the event officially started, with the host team Guangdong Lianrun Fengze Football Team against Art Crafts Gao International Football Team. The former is the 2024 Foshan “La Liga” champion and the latter is the 2024 Provincial Super League champion. In the end, Guangdong Lianrun Fengze Football Team defeated Shenzhen Yichuang Gao International Football Club 3-1 and won its first victory in the group stage.
It is reported that this year’s Foshan “La Liga” was held from July 4 to August 23, with the number of participating teams reaching a record 40, an increase of 25% over the previous session, attracting the Chinese champion team, the Chinese League One team and strong teams from outside the province to participate. The league adopts an 11-person game format, divided into two stages: group stage and knockout stage. Nearly 100 football matches will be held, and it is expected to attract more than 2 million spectators. It is worth mentioning that the event has set up a sub-segment zone in the south and north (Bai Ni, Datang) for the first time, allowing more citizens to share a sports feast at the “door to their homes”.
Integration of culture and tourism stimulates consumption vitality
Taking this Foshan “La Liga” event as an opportunity, Sanshui District launched a colorful consumption season from June to August to create a hot consumption atmosphere of online and offline integration, on-site and off-site linkage, stimulate new consumption vitality, promote the deep integration of industries and sports events, and explore the “hundred and millions of projects” for mass sports events to empower.
In the venue, Foshan’s “La Liga” focuses on the pilot zone around the two rivers and the “Four Mountains and Two Rivers” cultural and tourism boutique zone, deeply integrates the core images of Sanshui’s century-old football and the thousand-year-old Japanese-Yizi Bay to create a wonderful themed night.
It is reported that during the event, national and provincial intangible cultural heritage programs such as Xinjiang ethnic songs and dances, Gaozhou puppet show, and Zhenyuan Dragon Lantern Festival will be specially invited to participate, bringing a series of special “La Liga” nights such as Zhenyuan Not far away, Sweet Gashi Folk Culture Night, and Ancient Sizhou Night, which will shape the venue into a lively “football carnival” and become a stage for cultural integration and national carnival.
Off the venue, Sanshui District coordinates the cultural, commercial and tourism resources of district, town and village levels, and will successively launch “one town, one festival” activities such as the Open Fishing Festival, the 2025 Foshan Sanshui Music Beer Festival, the Winter Melon King Competition, the “Lotus” Cultural Festival, as well as the cultural and creative markets in the sub-competition areas, etc., to enrich the cultural experience of citizens and tourists.
In order to release the potential of cultural and tourism consumption, Sanshui District will also carry out a large gift package for cultural and tourism consumption, providing fans and tourists with multiple discounts such as tours, catering, and house purchases.
Editor: Wu Jiahong
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