National Games of China. Women
The National Games of China in women's football is a premier competition featuring top provincial, autonomous region, and municipal women's teams. Part of the All-China Games held every four years, it serves as a vital platform for talent scouting and advancing women's soccer in the country. The event underscores China's growing commitment to women's sports, backed by substantial investments in facilities and training programs.
History and foundation
The National Games originated in 1910, but women's football debuted much later in the 1980s amid the global rise of the women's game. The first women's tournament occurred at the 1997 Shanghai Games, dominated by Beijing. Notably, in 2001 at the Guangdong Games, Shandong stunned favorites with a 2:1 final win. The 2013 Liaoning edition saw record crowds over 50,000 for key matches. Post-COVID pauses led to a revamped 2021–2022 format, aiding Olympic qualification efforts.
Tournament format
The format involves 28–32 teams in a preliminary group stage by region, with group winners advancing to quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. Matches are 90 minutes plus stoppage time on host city stadiums. VAR was introduced for knockout stages since 2017, enhancing fairness. The tournament spans 10–12 days from groups to playoff.
Interesting facts
Average goals per match hover at 2.8, emphasizing defense—70% of recent games ended by a single-goal margin. All-time top scorer is Wang Shuang (now in NWSL), with 42 goals for Hebei across three editions. Standouts include Tang Wanqian of Shandong (hat-trick in 2017 final) and Li Mengyun of Beijing, assist leader. It has launched stars to China's national team, Asian Cup 2022 winners.