The press conference for the City Football Invitational Tournament Guiyang 2026 held on Aug 12 announced that the event will kick off on Aug 21 in "Cool Guiyang".
The tournament will bring together grassroots amateur teams from multiple cities across China, combining sports, culture, and digital technology to create a shared, cross-city football festival for all.
Strictly adhering to the grassroots soccer spirit, the tournament bans registered professional players from participating, ensuring that every player on the pitch is a true amateur.
Beyond a competitive stage for grassroots football, the tournament serves as a key platform for cultural exchange among cities nationwide and an innovative testing ground for integrating the digital economy and sports industry. Guiyang has invited teams from Taiyuan, Hangzhou, Heze, Beihai, and beyond.
The tournament is divided into group stages and knockout rounds. A grand opening ceremony and the first match will take place on Aug 21 at the Guiyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium, with the national champion to be decided in September.
During the final stage, Guiyang will also invite amateur teams from friendship cities to participate, turning the green pitch into an important window for cultural exchange between domestic and international cities.
Also, the tournament deeply integrates digital economy features and, in conjunction with the China International Big Data Industry Expo 2026, will host a drone football invitational tournament, bringing together 200 low-altitude technology teams from across the country.
This initiative blends grassroots football with the low-altitude economy and digital-tech innovation, giving traditional sports events a fresh technological edge and modern energy.
The event will maintain a tiered, accessible pricing structure, retaining the classic 9.9-yuan ($1.36) ultra-low-price tickets to lower the barrier for spectators, allowing as many residents as possible to enter the stadium and enjoy the football feast.
Additionally, Guiyang is integrating the tournament with its five local highlights – premium coffee, craft beer, exquisite dining, brilliant cultural and creative products, and boutique homestays – to build a complete, immersive event experience.
Adopting a "sports + culture, tourism, and commerce" approach and focusing on the core theme of "football + market + experience + cultural tourism promotion", a themed carnival series of activities will also be held concurrently outside the stadium during the tournament.