Youth football tournament brings together players from Jiangxi, Taiwan, Hong Kong

(ECNS) -- The 2026 Jiangxi-Taiwan-Hong Kong Youth Football Friendship Tournament kicked off on Sunday in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, bringing together more than 80 young players from Nanchang, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Players said football serves as a bridge across regions. “We are no longer separated by the sea, but partners chasing dreams together,” Hong Kong team member Zhang Yimian said.

Organizers adopted a “morning matches, afternoon study tours” format. Off the pitch, participants visited Tengwang Pavilion, Wanshou Palace and the Nanchang Han Dynasty Haihunhou site to experience Jiangxi’s cultural heritage.

Kuang Yaoming, director of Hong Kong Sparta Asia Football Club, said Nanchang’s rich history makes it ideal for combining sports with educational exchanges, adding the event will continue as a regular platform for youth interaction.

(By Helen Mo, intern Liu Shuangjing)