Shenyang (GNP): On September 11, Shenyang Team played their first match against Changchun Team in the semi-finals. The game took place at Tiexi Stadium in Shenyang. This summer, a football event called the Northeast Super League has become very popular all across China. It has brought a lot of excitement to the city of Shenyang, in Liaoning Province.
The Northeast Super League is short for the Northeast China Urban Football League. It was started together by Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces, along with the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. It is China’s first football league between different regions.
The lands of Northeast China are connected by mountains and rivers, and share the same culture and close social ties. This has created a strong sense of shared identity among the people there. The 390 players taking part are not professional stars — they are ordinary citizens from all walks of life.
With an accessible ticket price of 19.9 yuan, the league brings high-level matches to local residents. Since its opening on May 23, tickets for Shenyang fixtures have been in great demand, with over 100,000 people rushing to secure tickets for a single game.
To serve fans who cannot attend matches on-site, Shenyang has set up 141 secondary viewing venues covering all districts and counties during the regular season. These sites include urban squares, waterfront bazaars, night markets, shopping complexes and characteristic streets.
Also Read: Overseas Journalists Begin Belt and Road Tour of Shenyang
Through media coverage, live-streaming and on-site activities, Shenyang has turned the Northeast Super League into a mass-participation event. Numerous out-of-town tourists travel to Shenyang to explore local scenery and delicacies.
Football games have become a fresh platform for Shenyang to display and exchange its urban culture. Holders of match tickets can enjoy discounts for catering, sightseeing and entertainment across the city. Tourists can discover the history of Shenyang Imperial Palace, experience distinctive industrial-style landscapes, and soak up the street-vitality of Zhongjie Lane with a 400-year-long history.
Using football as a medium, the Northeast Super League originates from fierce competition on the pitch, grows through shared regional cultural feelings, and pursues win-win development across Northeast China.
