Amateurs Win Over the Fans

Thousands: Non-professional Football Now the Hottest Attraction in China Sport

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On a summer's day in the city of Suzhou, about 40,000 people crowded into a stadium while thousands more gathered by public screens to watch China's hottest sport—amateur football.

A balm for cynical fans drained by years of corruption and ineptitude in the professional game, the amateur leagues springing up around China have drawn millions of viewers online, boosted domestic tourism to lesser-known locales, and sparked good-natured rivalry between cities.

At the sold-out match in searing heat in Suzhou, near Shanghai, the home crowd jumped out of their seats and cheered when 17-year-old Kou Cheng scored against Yangzhou city in the second minute.

Many wore bright red jerseys and T-shirts emblazoned with the characters for "Suzhou" and used paper fans to cool themselves.

"Compared to other competitions, the fans here are more passionate and, even if they don't understand football, the atmosphere is lively," Qian Chunyan, a 35-year-old Suzhou resident, said.

The tournament first took off in the eastern province of Jiangsu—where Suzhou is located—earlier this year.

The live-streamed matches soon drew millions of spectators on social media, putting smaller provincial cities on the domestic tourism map.