Soccer tourney to draw players from along the Belt and Road

About 300 young players from more than 30 countries and regions along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, known together as the Belt and Road Initiative, will participate in an international soccer tournament this weekend.

The International Youth Friendship Football Games and the 2nd International Youth Sports Dialogue will help boost sports exchanges between China and countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative, according to Chen Jianxin, director of the Meizhou Sports Bureau.

The event will be held in Meizhou, a mountainous city in Guangdong province, Friday to Sunday.

Meizhou, known as one of China’s major soccer bases, is making efforts to boost the game as the city has introduced a three-year plan to revitalize the sport, according to Chen.

"We will discuss with overseas representatives of the sports industry, especially on topics of development in youth soccer," said Chen.

Meizhou is home to a number of retired Chinese national team players, including Li Huitang, who in the 1970s was one of the best footballers in the world, Zeng Xulin, Chi Minghua, Guo Yijun and Xie Yuxin.

More than 120 local primary and middle schools have opened soccer courses and a citywide soccer tournament will be held each year between schools in Meizhou, Chen said.