The first Sanya Beach Football City Invitational kicked off in Sanya on May 8, bringing together three “Cun Chao” (Village Super League) teams from Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, and three local sides from the Sanya economic circle—Sanya, Lingshui, and Wuzhishan. Over three days, these six teams are competing on Sanya’s coastal sands in a thrilling “mountain-sea football rendezvous” that spans thousands of miles.
“Playing barefoot on the sand feels completely different from playing ‘Cun Chao.’ The beach pitch is more tiring to run on than grass, but the core message is the same: joy in football,” said Dong Yongheng, captain of the Zhongcheng Village football team from Rongjiang County, Guizhou, during an interview in Sanya on May 8. He expressed hope that the tournament would also allow his team to experience Sanya’s cuisine and culture.
The event capitalizes on the momentum of the recently concluded 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, where beach football was a popular discipline. Xiang Yihai, member of the Sanya Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and Deputy Mayor, stated that the city hopes to boost local cultural and tourism development through this football competition.
On opening day, Sanya’s Dadonghai Beach was buzzing with excitement. Players battled fiercely on the sandy pitch, displaying headers, bicycle kicks, and other spectacular moves, drawing cheers and applause from the attending residents and tourists.
