Border town in Xinjiang leverages football to bridge cultures and drive local growth

A team from Uzbekistan plays against one from Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region during the Kashgar Cup International Youth Football Invitational Tournament. (Photo/Arzugul)

Can a small border town with fewer than 200,000 residents host an international football tournament?

Yopurga county in Kashgar, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has answered that question with a resounding yes.

Nestled near the edge of the Taklimakan Desert, the town is home to southern Xinjiang's largest outdoor multi-purpose stadium. Not long ago, more than 300 young footballers from six countries gathered there for the Kashgar Cup International Youth Football Invitational Tournament.

Among them were local Kashgar youngsters, young players from Beijing, Shandong, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and other places in China, as well as teenage athletes from overseas, driven by their football dreams.

This marked the third edition of the Kashgar Cup International Youth Football Invitational Tournament. In Yopurga, the tournament has grown into a community festival embraced by locals from all walks of life.

One semi-final match pitted a team from east China's Shandong province against one from Guangdong province in south China. After the final whistle, spectator Alimjan Ablimit and his two primary-school-age children lingered at the stadium. The family had driven more than an hour from Shule county in Kashgar to watch the game. He pulled out his phone and took photos of the kids in front of the stadium.

Alimjan Ablimit told People's Daily that football runs deep among children in Xinjiang. For years, kids would set down a few schoolbags on the street to make makeshift goalposts. "Now we have much better facilities, and more matches right on our doorstep. The football culture is stronger than ever."

Admission to this year's Kashgar Cup was available via free reservations. Fans of all ages packed the stands, cheering loudly for the players. Beyond the pitch, local authorities rolled out tie-in promotions: spectators could redeem their stubs for discounts at night markets and free entry to a local scenic area. During the tournament, the average occupancy rate of 17 local hotels topped 80 percent.

In the final, a team from Uzbekistan defeated the Shandong team 3-2 to claim the championship. The young players lifted the trophy to savour their moment of glory, greeted by thunderous applause from the crowd.

For 14-year-old Pan Xiaoyi from Shenzhen, the journey to this remote frontier marked a personal milestone. Traveling to Kashgar for the first time and encountering the desert landscape, Pan had dreamed since kindergarten of testing himself on an international stage.

"Playing against strong sides such as Uzbekistan, I noticed they move and pass faster, with sharper tactical execution. We will target these areas in our training back home," Pan said.

Players from Russia wave to spectators at the 3rd Kashgar Cup International Youth Football Invitational Tournament. (Photo/Song Haibo)

The hospitality of the Kashgar people also left a lasting impression on the visiting young footballers.

"The crowd cheered their hearts out for us. The atmosphere was incredible," said Shi Junchen, a teammate of Pan. While exploring Kashgar Ancient City, local shopkeepers greeted them warmly and invited them to taste local delicacies, creating a festive mood much like Chinese New Year celebrations. "I will definitely tell my parents they need to visit Kashgar. I hope I can come back here with them," Shi noted.

Over its three-year run, the Kashgar Cup has widened its invitation list and built greater international visibility. It allows a growing number of young foreign footballers to learn about Kashgar, Xinjiang and China.

Yegor, 15, captain of a team from Russia, was visiting China for the second time. The extended competition schedule gave him time to experience the city at a leisurely pace. Together with his teammates, he wandered Kashgar Ancient City and rode camels in the desert, making precious memories.

Yegor's hotel room was close to those of the Shenzhen players. Despite the language barrier, the teenagers chatted enthusiastically via translation apps, covering everything from training routines and match tactics to favorite football boots, music and food. They exchanged contact information. "We are good friends now," he said.

The 2026 Kashgar Cup Super Invitational Football Tournament will kick off in Yopurga in mid-October. The opening ceremony of last year's edition drew more than 30 million live-stream viewers online, with related topics racking up over 1 billion total views. More than 160,000 spectators attended matches on site.

"From the international youth invitational to grassroots community football leagues, our ongoing Kashgar Cup series aims to use football as a medium to build a local signature. We want to showcase Kashgar's vibrancy and hospitality while creating a platform for cultural exchange and ethnic unity," said Wang Chen, deputy commissioner of the Kashgar prefectural administrative office.