The first China youth non-profit football league kicked off in Changsha, Hunan province, on July 3, with 12 teams from 11 provinces and regions taking part in the competition.

Famous domestic football couches including Wei Qun, Peng Weiguo, Xu Yang and Yang Pengfeng, were invited to give tips and advice to the young charges.

Liu Cheng, director of the youth football foundation, had a very positive attitude towards the future of football in Changsha when talking about why he chose the city to host the event. "I was a graduate in Changtangli Primary School in Changsha, my alma mater has cultivated a lots of excellent football players."

A total of 12 teams from 11 provinces and regions attend the first China youth non-profit football league in Changsha, on July 3. [Photo/www.changsha.cn]

There are 18 schools in Yuhua district which have been listed as national football specialized schools including Yuhua Middle School, Dexinyuan Primary School and Changtangli Primary School.

Changsha football teams have won championships more than 70 times in various competitions, with 137 local graduates currently professional football players, of which three are on the national team, and more than 20 play for the Chinese Football Association Super League and Chinese Football Association Series League.

Sponsored by China Youth Football Non-profit Foundation and Changsha municipal bureau of sports, the competition aims to provide a more professional platform for young footballers from inland cities with fewer opportunities to develop their skills.

The first non-profit training camp for football coaches was launched concurrently, where over 120 young football coaches from six provinces and regions will be trained for free.

Young footballers warm up before the competition. [Photo/icswb.com]