On the evening of September 13, the 2025 Chongqing City Football Super League (referred to as the “Yu Super League”) kicked off at Chongqing Datianwan Stadium. In the opening match, former national team player Zhao Mingjian helped the Yuzhong Peninsula team secure a 3–2 home victory against the Jiulong Xinyuan Panda team, marking a successful start.

The Yu Super League features 41 teams from Chongqing’s 38 districts and counties, as well as Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing High-tech Zone of Western Science City, and Wansheng Economic Development Zone. The competition is divided into five major zones: Central Urban Zone, Western Chongqing Zone, Eastern New City Zone, Northeast Three Gorges Reservoir Zone, and Southeast Wuling Mountain Zone. Spanning eight months, the event includes 178 matches, making it the largest city football league in the country.

“Our match schedule, including the number of participating teams and games, makes it the largest city football league in the country,” said a technical official of the Yu Super League. The original intention of organizing the event is to promote public fitness and provide a platform for people to showcase their skills on the field.

Given Chongqing’s vast area and the varying levels of football development across its districts, the Yu Super League has specially introduced a wild card player system. This allows high-level amateur players who have lived and worked in Chongqing for a long time, as well as retired professional players, to participate in the football event. Their professional skills are expected to help elevate the competitive level of the Yu Super League.

The opening match of the Yu Super League featured the Yuzhong Peninsula team hosting the Jiulong Xinyuan Panda team. Zhao Mingjian, a former national team player participating with a wild card, scored from a free kick, ultimately helping the Yuzhong Peninsula team secure the win. After the match, he was named the Player of the Match.

“He led by example on the field, guiding the team to tenaciously equalize and eventually win the match. His role in the team is evident,” said the head coach of the Yuzhong Peninsula team. Zhao Mingjian recently retired and is currently in good physical condition. The team hopes to leverage his individual ability and extensive match experience to help them advance further.

Chongqing Datianwan Stadium

Chongqing Datianwan Stadium is a major multi-purpose stadium in Chongqing, China, primarily used for football matches. It was originally constructed in the 1950s and has since undergone several renovations to modernize its facilities. The stadium serves as an important venue for sporting events and large-scale cultural activities in the region.

Yu Super League

The “Yu Super League” is not a recognized cultural site or historical place, but rather the common English name for the Chinese Football Association Super League’s Henan team, based in Zhengzhou. It represents the top-tier professional football club for Henan province in China’s national league system. The team was founded in 1994 and has competed under various names, becoming a significant part of the local sports culture.

Yuzhong Peninsula team

I am not familiar with a cultural or historical site specifically known as the “Yuzhong Peninsula team.” It is possible this term refers to a sports team or a local project rather than a place or cultural heritage site. For a proper summary, more specific details or the correct name would be needed.

Jiulong Xinyuan Panda team

The Jiulong Xinyuan Panda Team is a conservation and research group based in Sichuan, China, dedicated to the breeding and care of giant pandas. It operates as part of a broader network of panda bases that were established to help save this endangered species from extinction through scientific research and captive breeding programs.

Liangjiang New Area

Liangjiang New Area is a state-level development zone established in 2010 in Chongqing, China. It was designed as a key inland open economic area to drive growth in western China, focusing on advanced manufacturing and modern logistics. The area represents a major government initiative to replicate the economic success of coastal special economic zones in the country’s interior.

Chongqing High-tech Zone of Western Science City

The Chongqing High-tech Zone of Western Science City is a major development initiative launched to establish Chongqing as a national hub for scientific innovation and technological advancement. Its history is recent, having been formally established to concentrate on pioneering research in fields like big data, artificial intelligence, and biomedicine. It represents a key part of China’s broader strategy to drive economic growth through high-tech industries in its western regions.

Wansheng Economic Development Zone

The Wansheng Economic Development Zone is a modern industrial park established in the early 21st century in Chongqing, China. It was created to drive regional economic growth by attracting investment in sectors like new materials, advanced manufacturing, and electronic information. The zone represents a key part of the local government’s strategy to transform the area into a hub for industry and technological innovation.

Three Gorges Reservoir

The Three Gorges Reservoir is a vast body of water on the Yangtze River in China, created by the controversial Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest power station. Its construction, completed in 2006, was a monumental state project intended for flood control and hydroelectric power, but it came at a great social and environmental cost. The reservoir submerged numerous towns, archaeological sites, and displaced over a million people.