Newly-formed Guangdong Futsal Association Aims to Help Develop Chinese Soccer

A non-governmental soccer association will stage more professional futsal games over the next five years in an attempt to boost Chinese soccer development.

The programme will include a futsal cup competition between Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao next year, according to Liu Xiaowu, director of the Guangdong Futsal Association.

After being approved by the provincial civil affairs department, the Guangdong Futsal Association was inaugurated on Saturday in Guangzhou, the capital city of Guangdong province, after being approved by the provincial civil affairs department. The association is China’s first soccer organisation without governmental administration.

“We will also organize competitions between Guangdong and its neighboring provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan and Hainan and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region,” said Liu.

Liu said more games will be held in neighbouring regions.

“We will develop more members in the years ahead. As a non-governmental association, we believe the organization will play a big role in boosting local soccer development,” he said.

The association developed a regional professional league, called ‘Yuechao’, or the ‘Guangdong Super League’ in 2010. A number of foreign players from Brazil and Britain joined the eight teams in the league.

“Besides the super league, we will have second and third-tier competitions from next year,” Liu said.

Futsal, has developed rapidly in Guangdong, with two independent leagues being launched in recent years.

In addition to Yuechao, the Pearl Super League, which was launched by the government-owned soccer association in Guangdong in October 2009, is the first regional professional sport league in China.{jcomments on}