Baotou to host intl soccer festival

The 1st Grassland International Football Festival will be held in Baotou on Aug 22, bringing talented soccer players from excellent clubs and youth camps to compete and drive local soccer training forward.

Held from Aug 22 to 27, the festival includes an international teenage soccer invitational, academic youth camp forums, cultural history exhibitions and school tours for professional soccer players to train students. 

Over 400 young soccer players from clubs, including OGC Nice, Valencia CF, Shanghai Greenland Shenhua FC and Jiangsu Sunning FC, will compete on the field. Sixteen school teams from Baotou will also attend the competitions, taking part in youth exchange activities.

During the soccer forums, renowned soccer players and coaches are expected to gather together to discuss youth training and cooperative exchange projects. Guest speakers will include Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, former players from Manchester United, Chinese soccer star Li Yi, delegates from the Uruguayan Football Association and coaches from Ligue 1 and La Liga.

Officials announce Baotou as the host city for the 1st Grassland International Football Festival at a press conference held at Baotou Olympics Sports Center on Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/Baotou Daily]

An official receives an interview after the conference held at Baotou Olympics Sports Center on Aug 13, 2017. [Photo/Baotou Daily]