A new China Global Television Network (CGTN) documentary tells the story of how a grassroots football tournament has transformed a once-impoverished, rural county in southwest China's Guizhou Province.
In Rongjiang, 137 village teams have come together to participate in an extraordinary competition known as the Village Super League, or "Cun Chao."
Since its launch in 2023, the tournament has rapidly gained popularity across China, drawing millions of visitors to the region, and hundreds of millions of online viewers. The players are ordinary villagers rather than professionals, but the matches have become a national sensation.
For Dong Yongheng, a restaurant owner who became the league's top scorer and a local star, football has translated into real economic benefits -- he has since expanded his modest shop into a two-story restaurant, creating jobs and capitalizing on the influx of tourists who flock here to enjoy the football.
The league's success is the result of persistent efforts behind the scenes by local officials, including Xu Bo, the county's Party secretary.
A Tsinghua University graduate born into a farming family, Xu arrived in Rongjiang in 2021 with a mission to develop rural China. Facing a lack of major industry, he and his team tried multiple ventures -- from a "CBA in the mountains" to bullfighting, cultural festivals, and a marathon -- but none proved sustainable. Their sixth attempt, football, was the breakthrough they were looking for.
"Just like the Long March -- to survive, you must find a way out," Xu said. Under his leadership, Cun Chao has ignited the enthusiasm of the entire county and provided people across the country with a joyful way to enjoy the sport, perfectly aligning with the spread of stories on social media.
What began as a local experiment has become a remarkable story of community, opportunity, and the power of sport to drive rural revitalization.
The documentary is part of CGTN's "Breaking Through" series, which traces China's journey from the historic Long March undertaken by the Red Army nine decades ago to its modern-day achievements, highlighting the resilience, ingenuity, and determination of its people.
Grassroots football fuels rural revival in Guizhou's Rongjiang: documentary
