Century-old home of soccer scores with international exchanges

CHANGCHUN — Traveling thousands of kilometers from her tropical homeland to northeastern China to participate in a soccer event, Phonphirun Philawan finds herself fully immersed in a unique and exciting experience.

The 25-year-old player from Thailand represented the team, College of Asian Scholars, at the 2nd Asian University Sports Federation Football Cup in Longjing city, Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture, Northeast China's Jilin province. The event attracted 12 university teams from eight countries and regions, including China, Saudi Arabia, Nepal and South Korea.

It is her fourth trip to China. The weather in Longjing was "a bit cold", but the delicious local cuisine, well-equipped facilities, and enthusiastic soccer atmosphere have made her feel warm and welcomed, she says.

"Soccer has a history of more than 100 years here. It's incredible," says Philawan, who adds that she took this opportunity to make more friends who play soccer, and immersed herself in the charm of the city.

Yanbian is one of the pioneering regions in China where soccer started to develop. Up till now, it has sent more than 40 players to national teams at all levels and more than 500 players to clubs. In the past 30 years, Yanbian has nurtured several professional teams. Moreover, the local public's passion for the sport is truly remarkable.

In recognition of its pivotal role in shaping the football landscape in China, Yanbian was honored with the title of "hometown of soccer". In 1979, it became one of the first places in the nation to be designated as a "key city" for soccer development.

As stated by Zheng Quan, deputy chief of Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture, Yanbian has also been known as a pilot area for youth soccer training system.

"On my way from the airport to here, I saw many soccer fields and many young people were playing soccer. I also noticed a spectacular park with soccer elements. I didn't expect so many spectators would come here and watch soccer matches," says Tamem Mohamed from the University of Doha for Science and Technology in Qatar.

The park that the player mentioned is located in Yanji city, the capital of Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture. As a key project for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Yanbian prefecture in 2022, the park has become a landmark building and is often packed with soccer lovers.

"The prefecture has built 276 soccer venues, with an average of 1.42 per 10,000 people, which ranks among the top tier in China," says Jin Guofan, director of Yanbian Sports Bureau, adding that to further meet the people's needs, besides hosting professional league matches, the prefecture also organizes nonprofessional events.

"Soccer is a key for me to know the world, and it is also a key for the world to know Yanbian," says Jin Yusheng, a 21-year-old goalkeeper representing Yanbian University.

He highlighted the profound impact of soccer culture in his hometown, which boasts a rich history and resonates with individuals of all ages. According to Jin Yusheng, Yanbian has successfully hosted numerous international events in recent years, providing invaluable opportunities to tell the story of Yanbian to the world.

Longjing Hailanjiang soccer culture town is the venue for the 2nd Asian University Sports Federation Football Cup. Zhang Wenji, head of the project's investor, says that since its completion in 2018, the town has held a total of 820 large and medium-sized events, receiving more than 500,000 people in total.

"By integrating soccer events with cultural tourism, Yanbian has been expanding its circle of friends on soccer fields," Zhang says.

"This trend has stimulated local consumption across various sectors, while elevating the international recognition of local scenic spots."

"In Yanbian, I saw the passion for soccer in people's eyes and the enthusiastic exchanges among young people from different cultural backgrounds," says Ali Massari Al Dhaheri, an assessor of the Asian University Sports Federation.

He says that he hoped more cities in China, akin to Yanbian, will host soccer events, and believed such initiatives would not only elevate the overall standard of Chinese soccer, but also infuse a renewed sense of hope for the cities' future development.

Xinhua