China’s most successful Astroturf operation: grassroots football

On a chilly autumn evening, a man dressed as the legendary general Guan Yu galloped on a black horse around a stadium, as 26,000 fans roared their support for their football team, "Yiyang." After a two-hour match, Yiyang suffered a 1-0 loss to Changsha, the capital of Hunan province. Heartbroken, the players had muddy jerseys and torn socks.

The grassroots provincial football leagues spreading across China have become a spectacle, full of emotion. One local joke goes, "Xiangchao (the Hunan league) is better than the World Cup." Though the skills displayed in the matches are uneven, the passion is real and stronger than the one surrounding China's national team.

The city against city amateur competitions began in spring 2025 in Jiangsu and have inspired similar leagues in about 20 other provinces. Officials view these leagues mainly as economic catalysts. The impact, however, has been social. In the face of a stagnant economy, these leagues have given people something to cheer, with the same devotion and irrationality as sports fans anywhere.

Before the matches, the plaza outside the Yiyang stadium was bustling with a carnival-like atmosphere. Stalls sold spicy soup, stinky tofu, and local delicacies. Enthusiasts gathered early to create noise, wave flags, and sing chants. Cheerleaders warmed up for their halftime performance, dressed in traditional Chinese opera-style robes.

The surrounding streets reflected the impact of China's property downturn, with closed restaurants, unfinished buildings, and empty flats. A business partner of the Hunan league said the league was created to revive economic activity. Officials tried various initiatives, like night markets and concerts, but nothing worked as effectively as football.

The matches also foster a sense of local pride. The provincial leagues have brought a Cinderella story when Yongzhou, a poorer city than Changsha, reached the championship. Football allows people to reconnect with their local identity, as many have migrated for work and now seek new forms of meaning.

Social media influencer Zhou Meimei from Yiyang emphasizes the value of friendly exchanges between Hunan's cities and how the city can showcase its hospitable culture to visitors. Yet, she remains competitive, stating, "We all want to win because as locals, we want our hometown to earn honor."

The provincial leagues help improve football's image in China. While the China Super League is plagued by corruption and match-fixing scandals, the provincial leagues possess a purity about them. "There's no money in these games, just people struggling to win," says a fan at the Yiyang match. Some hope these leagues will inspire the national team, which hasn't qualified for a World Cup since 2002. Nonetheless, the enthusiasm generated by the provincial leagues may bring renewed interest in playing football.

The leagues are run by bureaucrats, with minimal interference, allowing them to maintain their grassroots feel. Each team in Hunan, for example, must have at least three high-school students on the pitch and players must have ties to their city. Ticket prices are also kept low. However, as the leagues grow, there's a risk that city officials might start viewing league standings as a performance metric, leading to increased pressure to attract better players and spend more on training.