Jiangsu Football City League
Jiangsu Football City League, JSCL (Chinese: 江苏城市足球联赛, 苏超),[1] is a municipal soccer league established by Jiangsu Province in China since 2025. All 13 prefecture-level cities in Jiangsu Province establish teams named after their respective city (e.g., Nantong, Taizhou) to compete in the tournament, which consists of two phases: the regular season and the knockout stage, spanning a total of seven months and comprising 85 matches. The athletes of these representative teams are predominantly amateur competitors.[2][3]
Jiangsu Province intends to leverage the Jiangsu Football City League to enhance domestic economic circulation while proactively fostering a consumption-driven economy.[4] As the conventional catalysts of exports and investment wane, consumption has become a crucial factor for sustaining consistent growth.[5] In this setting, Jiangsu is utilizing the catalytic influence of urban football leagues to foster enhanced synergy among culture, tourism, sports, and commerce. Analysts indicate that the focus on consumption-driven growth and event-based stimulation is a proactive measure addressing the necessity for economic transformation.[6][7]
History
Following the closure of Jiangsu Suning Football Club in 2021, the aspirations of local fans for premier local competitions have remained unaddressed. Besides, all 13 prefecture-level cities in Jiangsu (e.g. Nanjing, Wuxi, Xuzhou, Changzhou, Suzhou, Nantong, Lianyungang, Huaian, Yancheng, Yangzhou, Zhenjiang, Taizhou, Suqian) rank within the top 100 cities in the nation for GDP, making it the sole region in the country characterized by longstanding economic rivalry and cultural diversity among its cities.[8][9]
In December 2024, the Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau organized a match between Nanjing and Suzhou, two pivotal cities for soccer development in Jiangsu Province. The match attracted tens of thousands of fans to both home and away stadiums, and the positive reception prompted Jiangsu Province to propose a league involving 13 cities.[10]
On March 3, 2025, the Jiangsu Provincial Sports Bureau convened a meeting to advance the initiatives of the 2025 Jiangsu Provincial City Football League. On March 28, the drawing ceremony for the 2025 Jiangsu Provincial City Football League took place in Rugao, Nantong. A news conference occurred in Nanjing on May 9.[1][11] The inaugural match occurred at Zhenjiang on May 10, featuring Zhenjiang vs Yangzhou.[12][13]
To facilitate more attendance at matches and enhance the overall watching experience, some cities undertook initiatives to modernize their home venues. Subsequent to the 3rd round of the season, cities including Nanjing, Suzhou, Nantong, and Changzhou concurrently submitted requests to transition to larger, more sophisticated home stadiums.[14] Nanjing relocated its home matches from Wutaishan Stadium to Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre; Nantong relocated its location to the Haimen base of the Nantong Football Training Center; Changzhou changed its home venue from the Changzhou Institute of Technology Stadium to the Changzhou Olympic Sports Centre; Suzhou advanced by designating the Kunshan Olympic Sports Center, constructed to FIFA specifications and accommodating roughly 45,000 spectators, as its new home field.[15]
Scoreboard
Regular Season Phase
| Standings | Teams | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | GS | GA | GD | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nantong | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 2 | 12 | 15 |
| 2 | Yancheng | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 13 |
| 3 | Nanjing | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 11 |
| 4 | Xuzhou | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 11 |
| 5 | Lianyungang | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 6 | Suzhou | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 |
| 7 | Wuxi | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 8 | Taizhou | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 | -4 | 7 |
| 9 | Suqian | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 6 |
| 10 | Huai'an | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| 11 | Yangzhou | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 9 | -5 | 4 |
| 12 | Zhenjiang | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 13 | -10 | 3 |
| 13 | Changzhou | 6 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 11 | -11 | 1 |
Cultures
The commencement of the season coincided with the International Workers' Day and Dragon Boat Festival, offering considerable spare time and markedly enhancing spectators' enthusiasm for attending matches.[16] Favorable weather conditions in Jiangsu during this time encouraged greater in-person attendance from supporters. During the initial round, host towns expressed apprehension regarding insufficient attendance. Some even provided complimentary tickets through web promotions and engaged schools and corporations to populate the audience. Cities initiated tourist packages to entice visitors, exemplified by Changzhou's favored "9.9 RMB match ticket + Changzhou pickled radish + Yangzhou fried rice" combination.[17] Nonetheless, the league's popularity far surpassed projections. Tickets initially priced at 10 RMB escalated to 600 RMB in the resale market, with some asserting they are "even more difficult to obtain than a Jay Chou concert ticket."[18]
Jiangsu, being a prominent province, features five men's professional football clubs in the second division or higher, supported by a robust youth training system and comprehensive sports infrastructure. All 13 participating cities are notably ranked inside China's top 100 cities by GDP;[19] 13 of the 27 cities classed as Tier 2 in Public Finance Status (Chinese: 二级财政城市) are situated in Jiangsu.[20] Geographically compact, cities in Jiangsu are about one to two hours apart by high-speed rail, earning the moniker “weekend backyard.”[18][21]
Jiangsu's equitable regional growth has cultivated a robust local identity and competitive ethos among its cities. Referred to colloquially as “Fragmented Jiangsu” (Chinese: 散装江苏)[22] and the “Thirteen Champions” (Chinese: 十三太保), neither city gives gladly to another.[23] Matches featuring the provincial capital Nanjing particularly incite intense rivalry, with slogans such as “Victory First, Friendship Fourteenth” transforming internet discourse into formal communication—spearheaded by Nanjing's municipal social media account.[24]
By weaving together historical ties, culinary culture, and distinctive city personalities, the event created a narrative rich in viral appeal and sparked a vibrant “meme economy.”[25] For example, the "Chu–Han Contention" was reenacted on the pitch between Xuzhou (the hometown of Liu Bang) and Suqian (the hometown of Xiang Yu), where ancient grudges found new expression through football.[26] The “Battle of the Bro Nan” saw fans from Nanjing and Nantong fiercely debate over who the real “Bro Nan” is. Meanwhile, the face-off between Nanjing and Wuxi was dubbed a “food war” by netizens—Salted Duck vs. Honey Peach.[27][28]
Tourism agencies from many cities promptly emulated this action. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Changzhou declared complimentary access to all A-rated tourist attractions for visitors from Yangzhou, resulting in the viral phrase: “10,000 Yangzhou residents in China Dinosaurs Park.”[29] Football rapidly emerged as a catalyst for urban consumption. In some instances, tourism discounts were also granted to all visitors from rival teams' locations, thereby fully merging sports with cultural and economic interchange. Cities, such as Zhenjiang, Yancheng, and Huai'an, initiated ticket stub programs that integrate match attendance with travel and culinary incentives.[30]
References
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