Hainan's football tournament gathers teams from 18 countries

Qiongzhong female football players during a training session [Photo by Zhao Yingquan/Xinhua] 

The 2019 Hainan Qiongzhong International Cup will be held in Qiongzhong Li and Miao autonomous county in Hainan province from Jan 20 to 23.

Over 400 athletes in 21 youth football teams from 18 countries and regions will participate in the tournament. The teams hail from Turkey, Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil, Russia, Australia and Vietnam.

The competition is aimed at promoting the development of Qiongzhong's juvenile football and sports scene, and helping turn the area into a hub for youth football.

The competition will be sponsored by the Qiongzhong county Party committee, the Qiongzhong county government and the Hainan Football Association.

Qiongzhong took the lead in popularizing campus football back in 2006, and its female football team has won three successive championships in the world's largest youth football tournament – the Gothia Cup.

Qiongzhong football players perform at a press conference for the 2019 Hainan Qiongzhong International Cup. [Photo by Liu Sunmou/hi.chinanews.com]