This August, in Kunming City filled with blooming flowers, the internationally renowned youth football tournament, the La Liga Hope Cup, returns to Kunming after a year's wait, contributing to youth football development in China.

From August 23 to 28, five U16 teams from La Liga clubs will compete alongside seven Chinese teams, vying for the championship at the 3rd La Liga Hope Cup China (Kunming) tournament.

This year, the five La Liga teams include Atlético Madrid, Sevilla FC, Real Betis, CA Osasuna, and Villarreal CF. The seven local Chinese U16 teams come from the Yunnan Football Association, Henan Football Association, Hubei Football Association, Jiangsu Football Association, Chongqing Football Association, Shandong Taishan Football Club, and Evergrande Football School.

In 2018, a strategic memorandum of understanding was signed by the Kunming Municipal People's Government, China Sports Futurity Investment, and La Liga, with the La Liga Hope Cup being one of the key projects under this collaboration.

In 2019, the La Liga Hope Cup made its inaugural journey out of Spain to land in Asia, finding its home in Kunming, China. Successfully hosted twice in the Spring City, the Barcelona Football Club and Real Betis Football Club clinched the championship in the first two editions. An outstanding talent at the Qatar World Cup, the golden boy Gavi, represented Barcelona in the inaugural La Liga Hope Cup, aiding the team to victory.

The La Liga Hope Cup has always upheld the principle of unearthing and discovering future football stars, providing a new platform for domestic and international high-level youth football exchanges and communication, nurturing young football talent, and promoting the development of China's sports industry. The gathering of future football stars again in Spring City will further showcase the influence of the "La Liga Hope Cup" as a top international youth football event. The hosting of the La Liga Hope Cup also holds significant importance in highlighting the brand value of the "Six Spring Cities" and the efforts to build Kunming into a livable "highland pearl, green and beautiful Spring City."

This is the Yunnan way of life, and Kunming is a city which is suitable for football tournaments! The La Liga Hope Cup is not just a competition but a stage for dreams. Let us witness the power of hope in Kunming.

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(Editors: Rachel, Ines)