RONGJIANG COUNTY, China -- Despite the financial woes and disappointing performance of top-level soccer in China, the sport is thriving at the grassroots as thousands of spectators gathered in this rural southwestern county for a local competition can attest.
At Matchday 6 of the amateur Cun Chao, or Village Super League, on June 22, spectators crowded the sidelines, yelling encouragement to players even after backward passes or poor touches on the ball.



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