Cup boost for soccer amateurs

Chinese soccer can foster a strong grassroots foundation only by providing amateur players with more chances to compete against their professional counterparts, according to a senior soccer official.

To boost public enthusiasm for soccer at grassroots level, the Chinese Football Association said on Wednesday that this year's CFA Cup will include 20 amateur teams for the first time since it was launched in 1984.

A record 64 teams, including 44 professional league clubs, will compete in the knockout format in this year's competition. Only eight non-professional teams were accepted last year.

Expanding the tournament to include more amateur teams is expected to trigger more interest in the game at grassroots level, said Zhang Jian, secretary-general of the CFA.

“With more teams outside the professional league joining the tournament and improving by competing against higher-level opponents, the game's foundation will be strengthened,” Zhang said after the CFA Cup sponsorship ceremony on Wednesday.

Under a new rule, the top 12 teams from the 2013 National Amateur League will receive automatic places in the cup competition, along with the top eight teams from qualification.

Wang Wen, chaiman of Beijing Football Fan Club, said, “It's now possible for us to challenge the best teams in China, such as AFC Champions League winners Guangzhou Evergrande, and I believe more fans will be paying attention to local amateur league development.”

Domestic brewer Yanjing Beer, which signed a contract reportedly for 16 million yuan ($2.64 million) with the CFA to sponsor the tournament, will offer an extra bonus for amateur teams that beat professional opponents.

Li Fucheng, board chairman of Yanjing Beer Group, said: “Soccer carries the dreams of hundreds of millions of Chinese people. Helping the game to grow while inspiring more teenagers to take part in it is our social responsibility.”