The Village Super League, known as "Cun Chao," entered a decisive stage on Saturday as the final qualification round kicked off in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, setting the stage for thrilling matchups in the tournament's next chapter.
This year's season of "Cun Chao" started in January, with 20 village teams selected from 108 contenders to compete in the final qualification round.
Saturday night's match saw two village teams, made up of students, battling it out in the rain. Undeterred by the weather, spirited spectators cheered on the players throughout the game. "I'm from Chongqing. Although it was raining heavily today, the spectators are still very enthusiastic, and the players also performed well. It was definitely worth coming here to watch the match," said Fang Yi, a spectator.
The football team from Dangxiang secured a dominant 6-0 victory in Saturday's competition.
"We are thrilled to have won today's match, which marks a great start. In the upcoming group stage, we'll stay focused and give our best in every game," said Pan Weiwei, a member of the Dangxiang Village team.
The 20 teams, split into two groups, will compete in a round-robin format over the next two months. The top four teams from each group will then face off in a knockout stage to determine the ultimate champion.
During the final stage of the competitions, a food contest will be held, inviting football teams from various places across China to bring their intangible cultural heritage programs and traditional foods to Rongjiang for an exchange.
"Cun Chao" was initiated in Rongjiang County in 2023. It quickly became a hit in China and globally for its popularity, down-to-earth nature and festive atmosphere.
Village Super League kicks off final qualifiers in Guizhou
The Iranian government is focusing on public concerns and maintaining stable supplies of essential goods amid recent protests, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a televised interview on Sunday.
In the city of Karaj, northwest of the capital Tehran, daily life has largely continued as normal. A video filmed by a local resident on Sunday shows food stores open and grocery shelves fully stocked.
"This is the block near my home, and there are some food stores here. Daily life continues here. Last night we did not see many protests in Karaj. Right now the city is very safe. This is a grocery store close to my home. All the food is available; nothing is in shortage. Here are noodles and different types of beans. Here are dairy products, cheese, and yogurt. I also checked other grocery stores and didn't see any shortages. Everything is available," said local resident Ali Reza.
Iranian officials have described recent disturbances as acts orchestrated by the "enemy," including some carried out by well-trained and armed "terrorists." The incidents have caused casualties among security personnel and civilians, as well as property damage.
The Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Larijani has directed authorities to severely punish the "terrorists."
Meanwhile, Iran's police chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said on Sunday that the police had raised alert levels and arrested several leaders of the troublemakers during the operations on Saturday.
President Pezeshkian noted in the interview that the normal demands of the Iranian people are reasonable and justified, but they must realize that triggering riots and carrying out terrorist acts are the enemy's attempts to undermine the country. He urged the public to remain vigilant.
Also on Sunday, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that Tehran would regard U.S. and Israeli bases and facilities in the Middle East as "legitimate targets" if Washington takes military action against Iran. His remarks followed media reports saying U.S. President Donald Trump is "seriously considering authorizing a strike" against Iran.
Iranian state media reported that at least 109 members of Iran's security forces have been killed in clashes since the protests began 14 days ago. Meanwhile, human rights groups based outside the country said the number of protesters killed has exceeded 200, though the figure could not be independently verified.
The protests initially erupted over a sharp depreciation of the rial and sweeping subsidy reforms. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on foreign-linked agents and sanctions imposed by the United States.
Iranian president says government focusing on ensuring supplies amid protests
