Two major amateur sports leagues featuring teams from all 21 cities in Guangdong province are set to launch in 2026, marking a significant push to expand grassroots sports and regional competition. The plans were finalised following an organising committee meeting held in Guangzhou on 2 March, according to media reports.
The competitions aim to strengthen public participation in sports while creating new platforms for city-based teams across the province.
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The launch also reflects a broader push across China to expand grassroots sports and community competitions. In recent years, amateur tournaments – particularly basketball events such as the widely followed rural “Cun BA” competitions – have drawn large crowds and online audiences, prompting local governments to invest more in city-level leagues and public sports participation.
YueBA basketball league set to tip off in March
The basketball competition will be branded “YueBA,” a name that combines “Yue,” the abbreviated version of one of the Chinese names for Guangdong, with “BA,” referencing professional basketball leagues such as the Chinese Basketball Association.
The tournament is an upgraded version of a provincial basketball league that began in 2015, and will now feature teams representing all 21 cities across Guangdong. YueBA is expected to tip off in March.
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For the group stage, teams will be divided into eastern and western zones. Ten cities, including Guangzhou, Zhuhai and Foshan, will compete in the western division, while eleven cities, including Shenzhen, Dongguan and Shantou, will form the eastern group. The group stage will follow a home-and-away round-robin format.
Guangdong City Football Super League to run from April to November
Alongside the basketball competition, the Guangdong City Football Super League will run from April to November and will feature teams from all 21 Guangdong cities in a city-based structure. Each city will field a men’s team named after the city itself, with matches played at designated home grounds.
The football tournament will begin with a regular season, then move into the knockout rounds to determine the champion. Officials say the “one city, one home ground” model is intended to strengthen local identity and encourage fan support for city teams.
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Preparations for the competition are already underway in several cities. Local football associations and sports groups in places such as Chaozhou and Zhuhai have reportedly begun recruiting players ahead of the league’s inaugural season.
Guangdong strengthens focus on grassroots sports
One of the country’s most populous and economically dynamic provinces, Guangdong has long been a major hub for professional and grassroots sports, with cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Dongguan regularly hosting national and international sporting events.
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Organisers say the new leagues are expected to become major cultural and sporting events within the province, while also promoting tourism and economic activity across Guangdong’s cities.
