Football tournament players experience martial arts in Guangdong

2026-08-14 Ecns.cn Editor:Mo Honge

(ECNS) -- Nearly 300 young football players from seven countries took a break from the inaugural "Hope Cup" Greater Bay Area U17 International Youth Football Invitational Tournament to experience traditional Lingnan culture in Foshan, Guangdong Province.

Players learn Choy Li Fut kung fu at the Foshan Hongsheng Memorial Hall in Foshan, Guangdong Province. (Photo: Li Zhiqiang)
Players learn Choy Li Fut kung fu at the Foshan Hongsheng Memorial Hall in Foshan, Guangdong Province. (Photo: Li Zhiqiang)

The tournament brought together eight U17 teams from China, France, the UK, Serbia, Thailand, the Republic of Korea and New Zealand.

During a break in the competition, players visited the Foshan Hongsheng Memorial Hall, where they watched lion dances and Choy Li Fut kung fu performances. Under the guidance of local masters, they practiced the southern Chinese martial art, known for its combination of power and flexibility.

A Choy Li Fut kung fu master guides a foreign player during a training session at the Foshan Hongsheng Memorial Hall in Foshan, Guangdong Province. (Photo: Li Zhiqiang)
A Choy Li Fut kung fu master guides a foreign player during a training session at the Foshan Hongsheng Memorial Hall in Foshan, Guangdong Province. (Photo: Li Zhiqiang)

Participants also sampled the Cantonese dessert double-layered milk pudding in the Lingnan Tiandi area and strolled through the historic district, exploring traditional architecture.

The tour also included a walk through a creative industrial park transformed from old factories, where players viewed graffiti art and trendy cultural products.

Running from Aug. 8 to 14 in Guangzhou, the tournament was guided by the Guangdong Provincial Sports Bureau and organized by the Guangdong Football Association. 

(By Tang Yuxian)

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