On May 25, the "Dianshui Cup" 2025 Village Super League (Village Super) National Tournament's Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Division kicked off in Shishan Town, Nanhai District, Foshan. A total of 22 football teams from across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) will compete for two spots in the national finals.
The kick-off ceremony marks the tournament's commencement.
Unveiling of the mascot "Shishi" at the event.
Co-organized by Rongjiang County of Guizhou Province and Nanhai District of Foshan City in Guangdong Province, this event builds on the nationwide popularity of Guizhou's Village Super League since 2023.
Cultural elements of Rongjiang and Nanhai are showcased at the event.
Rongjiang, the birthplace of the Village Super League, is Nanhai's paired partner in China's east-west regional collaboration program. In May 2024, a football team from Nanhai participated in the tournament in Rongjiang. By March this year, the two regions agreed to host the 2025 Greater Bay Area Division in Nanhai's Shishan.
Cultural elements of Rongjiang and Nanhai are showcased at the event.
Beyond sports, the event aims to strengthen city branding collaboration and promote shared industrial development between Nanhai and Rongjiang. At the opening ceremony, Nanhai presented Rongjiang with an intangible cultural heritage paper-cutting artwork featuring tournament elements, while Rongjiang gifted a cultural and creative package themed on the Village Super League.
The event's mascot "Shishi" made its debut. It is a 3.4-meter-tall, 4.5-meter-long AI lion, weighing 1,500 kg, inspired by Lingnan's traditional lion dance and made from automotive parts.
Fang Huagang, a member of the Nanhai District Party Committee and head of the Publicity Department, said that this tournament will serve as an opportunity to fully leverage the strong influence of the Village Super League. Nanhai will showcase the strengths of local manufacturing alongside the Village Super. The goal is to make sports events a key window for the city's image promotion, a powerful driver of upgraded consumer spending, and a vital link for deeper integration of culture and tourism — ultimately turning Nanhai into a new hub for sports and entertainment in the GBA.
Wu Bangyun, Party Secretary of Wanzhai Village in Rongjiang's Zhaihao Town, said that the innovative atmosphere in Nanhai's Shishan has boosted confidence in grassroots football and regional development. He expressed hopes for strengthening friendships and exchanges between the areas in the GBA and Guizhou's Rongjiang through the tournament.
Reporter: Xiong Cheng
Photo: Dai Jiaxin
Editor: Huang Qini, James, Shen He
