(Photo/CFP)

The 2025 Jiangsu Football City League (JFCL) features strong community engagement and significant presence of young talent.

Out of the 516 players from 13 city teams in the JFCL, 158 or 31% are university and high school students. Among those who have scored more than two goals, 10 are under 25, and 4 are 20 or even younger. Notably, Kou Cheng from the Suzhou team is only 17 years old.

Suzhou has a long history of supporting football development. As early as 1983, Zhangjiagang, a county-level city under the administration of Suzhou, launched a youth football tournament. It is now considered the earliest-established, longest-running, and most influential youth football event in China.

Gao Chi from Suqian City currently tops the scorer list. Suqian has established 21 kindergartens and 148 schools nationally recognized for their specialized football programs.

In the Nantong team, four players have scored at least two goals. The city’s Haimen District established a football development foundation in 2015, committing to invest no less than 5 million yuan in football each year. Today, Nantong is home to three campus-based football training bases and 241 schools that are nationally recognized for football programs.