With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in full swing, cinemas across China are drawing fans with live games on the big screen.
A screening at a cinema in Beijing filled nearly 400 seats. Fans watched intently as the game got underway, with cheers erupting as goals were scored.
In Chengdu City, southwest China's Sichuan Province, the World Cup screening came with local flavor. Fans pounded drums, sang together and cheered as a Sichuan opera face-changing performer put on a show in front of the screen.
Other cities have used the event to drive consumption. Cinemas in Fuzhou City, east China's Fujian Province, have been offering World Cup viewing packages and specialty drinks, with tourism and consumer subsidies sweetening the deal.
Football fans in Lhasa City, southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region, can also enjoy the World Cup matches on the big screen at their doorstep. Despite perceptions of the region as remote and underdeveloped, standard cinema equipment and a steady broadcast signal brought the games to life for viewers.
"It's my first time watching a World Cup game in a cinema, and it's absolutely stunning," said a football fan in Lhasa.
As of now, the China Film Group and Huaxia Film have organized over 28,000 World Cup screenings across 255 cities in 31 provincial-level regions nationwide.
World Cup screenings draw crowds to cinemas across China
A sudden downpour triggered flash floods on Saturday in Jiande City, east China's Zhejiang Province, with authorities at all levels rolling out emergency measures to ensure people's safety.
From 11:00 Saturday to 08:00 Sunday, the average rainfall in Jiande reached 56 millimeters, with 132 monitoring stations recording cumulative rainfall exceeding 50 millimeters. In order to mitigate risks, local authorities organized the overnight evacuation of residents from hazardous areas.
In multiple villages and towns within Yangxi Community, mudslides and other hazardous situations occurred amid the heavy rainfall. Many residential houses collapsed or were damaged, and infrastructure such as rural roads, drinking water, and electricity also sustained varying degrees of damage. Following the disaster, local authorities quickly activated emergency response plans and launched overnight rescue operations. Village officials and police officers carried out door-to-door checks and relocated stranded villagers, finishing the operations before the floodwaters rose further.
"So far, all the villagers are safe. Village cadres came to help immediately and drained the floodwater from our houses," said Hong Xinjun, a villager from Youyi Village.
As of 12:00 on Sunday, a total of 290 people had been evacuated. All have been safely relocated in centralized settlement sites.
Flash floods prompt overnight rescue operations in Zhejiang
