Farmers and students star in China's viral new football league

It is simply a basking nighttime and thousands of fans person packed into Rongjiang’s shot crushed for nan last of nan Guizhou Village Super League.

Dongmen colony is up against Dangxiang colony successful nan climax of this hyper rowdy, very section competition.

This small, weekly, colony shot show has go a viral sensation successful China, arsenic images person dispersed crossed societal media of fans dressed successful accepted taste costume, banging drums and cheering connected nan players who mightiness beryllium farmers, students aliases shopkeepers.

And these videos person inspired tens of thousands of group from crossed nan state to acquisition it for themselves connected immoderate fixed weekend.

Watching nan matches successful nan colony convention is free but it is rather a hike to get here, a three-hour thrust into nan mountains from nan provincial superior Guiyang.

Yet millions of Chinese visitors person made nan trek complete nan past 12 months, to soak up nan atmosphere, boosting tourer manufacture gross by astir 75%, according to charismatic figures quoted by state-run media.

The accommodation disposable is fundamentally mini hotels which are often afloat booked erstwhile nan large games are on.

It’s nan eventual underdog story.

This is an area which was 1 of nan past parts of China to beryllium officially declared free of "extreme poverty".

Five years agone its mean yearly disposable income was conscionable $1,350 successful agrarian areas. Now, this recently organised convention - only successful its 2nd twelvemonth - has attracted truthful overmuch fame it is transforming nan place.

The players can’t rather judge it.

“We’re not master footballers. We conscionable emotion footy,” says Shen Yang.

“Even if location was nary Village Super League, we’d play each week. Without football, I’d consciousness for illustration life had mislaid its colour.”

Shen is simply a 32-year-old infirmary attraction worker who’s conscionable travel disconnected an all-night shift, but, connected nan field, he is 1 of nan main attacking weapons for Dongmen village.

He says his parents hated him playing shot erstwhile he was a kid but now they’re full converts.

“They didn’t fto maine play. They threw distant my trainers. But now they’ve group up a stall astatine nan gross to nan stadium trading crystal creams,” he laughs.

Shen’s parents are not nan only mini business owners who person benefited from nan economical boost this title has brought to nan area.

It is not arsenic if everyone has abruptly go rich, but this sporting carnival has decidedly brought earning opportunities for those moving small family hotels, restaurants and thoroughfare stalls.

Dong Yongheng, a subordinate whose Zhongcheng colony was successful nan last past year, is among those who person benefited from nan tourney measurement beyond his acquisition connected nan pitch.

The erstwhile building worker has turned footballing limelight into family business success.

The 35-year-old erstwhile worked successful his auntie’s humble shop preparing atom rolls, a celebrated Rongjiang thoroughfare snack.

Now he has opened his own, multi-story restaurant. It moreover has a shop attached to it trading his team’s shot jerseys and different memorabilia.

“I deliberation group for illustration nan authenticity of nan colony league,” he tells nan BBC.

“It is really not because of our sporting skills. They for illustration seeing a genuine performance, whether it is by our cheerleading taste singers aliases our players. Tourists emotion existent and original things.”

The authorities says that much than 4,000 caller businesses person registered successful nan region since nan title started past year, creating thousands of caller jobs successful nan mediocre farming community.

That immoderate fans dress up successful accepted clothing to cheer connected their colony squad has decidedly fixed this tourney a unsocial flavour.

In nan hours earlier nan final, Pan Wenge’s metallic headdress jingles and jangles arsenic she speaks enthusiastically, preparing to cheer connected Dongmen village.

“When we watch nan game, it’s truthful exciting. We’re really nervous, you consciousness your bosom pumping. And, erstwhile we win, we’re truthful happy. We singing and dance.”

But opinionated successful Dongmen’s measurement is nan younger, faster Dangxiang colony team.

Their prima striker, Lu Jinfu, nan boy of itinerant labourers, has conscionable vanished precocious school. With a awkward grin he acknowledges nan attraction of section kids wanting to return selfies pinch him.

“When I started playing I didn’t expect it to beryllium for illustration this. I didn’t expect america to person specified an astonishing shot atmosphere,” he says.

On nan night, his squad are so excessively bully for Dongmen. Lu scores doubly and, aft nan full-time whistle, nan winning squad spray each different pinch soft drinks successful celebration.

But nan losers don’t spell location quiet handed.

“We won 2 pigs. That’s not bad,” Shen nan says pinch a cheeky smile.

And, astatine their statement afterwards, you would not deliberation they were nan runners-up.

There is overmuch eating and drinking successful an outdoor banquet down nan main thoroughfare of Dongmen village.

The players get hugs and kisses from their neighbours they mention to arsenic "aunties". Win, lose, aliases draw, they’re still seen arsenic heroes.

And, aft all, location is ever adjacent year.