On August 24th, 12 outstanding youth teams from China and abroad, comprising over 400 players, coaches, and officials, gathered in Kunming for the official opening of the 3rd La Liga Hope Cup China (Kunming) Tournament. The event attracted close to a thousand passionate spectators from across the country, who were warmly welcomed by the unique charm of Yunnan's ethnic dances.

The event is an ongoing youth tournament organized by the La Liga league, with a history of nearly 40 years and over 10,000 young players participating globally. It has become one of the most prestigious U12-U16 youth football competitions worldwide, attracting over 100 million viewers worldwide. In 2019, the event made its debut out of Spain and landed in Asia, settling in Kunming, China.

From August 24 to 28, the 12 teams will compete in 26 group stage and knockout matches to determine the champion. The previous two editions in 2019 and 2023 were won by FC Barcelona and Real Betis respectively, and anticipation is high of see who will emerge victorious this time.

In his opening remarks, Juan José Herrera de la Muela, the Cultural Counsellor of the Spanish Embassy in Beijing, said: "This event is an outstanding example of Sino-Spanish friendship and cooperation, and has established a platform for cultural exchange in sports between our two countries. Player Gavi, who now plays for FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team, also participated in this event in 2019. The Embassy of Spain in Beijing has been dedicated to promoting cultural connectivity between the Chinese and Spanish people and governments, with the La Liga Hope Cup being a prime example."

Juan José Herrera de la Muela, the Cultural Counsellor of the Spanish Embassy in Beijing.

Sergi Torrents, the Executive Director of La Liga Greater China, stated: "We are delighted to see the La Liga Hope Cup reach its 3rd edition, with more and more outstanding teams and players, honing their football skills through competition and exchanging cultures off the pitch. The players here experience a professional match environment, which lays the groundwork for them to reach higher levels of the professional game in the future. I am full of confidence and anticipation for the future of the La Liga Hope Cup."

Sergi Torrents, the Executive Director of La Liga Greater China.

At the opening ceremony, all participating club players took an oath to follow the rules and uphold the spirit of sportsmanship during the competition. After the ceremony, the opening match was played between defending champions Real Betis and the representative team from Hubei Province, with Real Betis emerging victorious 2-1.  

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(Editors: Rachel, Ines)