Suzhou fans cheer during the Asian Tokyo 2020 Olympics qualifiers. [Photo/WeChat account: suzhoufabu365]
Suzhou in East China's Jiangsu province was listed as a national key city for football development during the 14th Five-year Plan (2021-25) period, according to a notice published by the General Administration of Sport of China on Sept 14.
It was the first time for Suzhou to get the nod. The honor was given to cities that have a solid football foundation and sound development prospect.
Suzhou boasts a rich football atmosphere and has been closely intertwined with the sport since ancient times.
It was among the first group of cities in China to bring in Western sports and modern football, and Suzhou's Soochow University founded its own football team as early as in 1903.
In recent years, Suzhou has attached significance to football and been vigorously promoting it, with the sport gaining wide popularity among local residents, especially among primary and secondary school students.
The city has hosted several major international and domestic football games so far, including the 2020 and 2021 Chinese Super League, the Chinese Football Association Cup, the FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers, and the Asian Qualifiers playoffs for Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Suzhou will host the AFC Asian Cup China in 2023, the continent's top-ranked and most influential football tournament, together with another nine domestic cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi'an, Dalian, Qingdao and Xiamen.
Students play football in Suzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: suzhoufabu365]
