Crowd pleasers

Since the league started on May 10, the matches have drawn more than 180,000 spectators over three rounds, according to Jiangsu Provincial Administration of Sport.

The fourth round game between home team Huai'an and Nanjing on Saturday attracted over 26,000 spectators. The fixture between Yangzhou and Taizhou drew more than 20,000 fans.

As of Sunday, discussions around the "Jiangsu City Football League" hashtag on Douyin had surpassed 2.7 billion views.

Jointly organized by the provincial administration of sport and the 13 city governments, the tournament, which will conclude on Nov 2, has as its core principle "participation of all citizens and city honor", and advocates deeper integration of soccer and fitness.

The tournament concept envisioned ordinary citizens enjoying live games in their neighborhoods to foster a sense of belonging and civic pride.

However, netizens ensured the league's allure transcended soccer, morphing into a battle for status among the 13 participating cities.

A total of 516 players compete in the league, including 85 university students, 69 high school and vocational school students, 29 professionals (this includes four also classified as students) and 337 amateur players. The players' ages range from 16 to 40.

Wang Xiaowan, vice-chairman of the Jiangsu Football Association, said the event aims to broaden public engagement and attract new fans to games. Another goal is to elevate the overall skill level of players in Jiangsu.

"Professional tournaments emphasize competitive prowess, while amateur leagues serve as inclusive platforms," he said.

Wang was amazed by the tournament's popularity during the recent Dragon Boat Festival holiday from May 31 to June 2.

"In the five years I've served at the association, my phone has been incessantly ringing for the first time," Wang said.

The unexpected popularity of matches has led to a scarcity of tickets, with resale prices soaring from the original 10 yuan to as high as 600 yuan on a secondhand trading platform.

Beyond ardent fans, casual spectators have also flocked to stadiums, attracted by the festive atmosphere rather than the outcome of matches or love of the sport.

English soccer legend David Beckham has even lent his support to the league, rallying behind the Suzhou team with a spirited "Come on, Suzhou!" cry, albeit in a flawed local dialect.