A soccer game kicks off at the Grand Canal Sports Culture Park in Jiaxing. [Photo provided to Tide News]

The Hongchuan Cup 2026 Football Super League was launched in Wangjiangjing town, Jiaxing, East China's Zhejiang province, on July 8, in tandem with the opening of the Changhong Football Hotel, the city's first soccer-themed hotel.

The inaugural Hongchuan Cup soccer competition series includes an adult super league and a youth elite tournament, running from July to September at the Grand Canal Sports Culture Park.

The adult competition is open to teams from all counties, county-level cities, and districts in Jiaxing, while the youth event features a U10 category for players born in either 2015 or 2016. The first match is scheduled for July 17.

The Hongchuan Cup builds on existing sporting events under the same brand, including badminton and bridge competitions that have been held for more than a decade. With support from the city's sports bureau, the event aims to develop a soccer brand with local characteristics and promote youth soccer development.

Since beginning trial operations in November 2025, the Grand Canal Sports Culture Park has hosted more than 20 soccer events with over 1,000 matches, attracting 100,000 visitors and generating more than 10 million yuan ($1.47 million) in related spending.

The newly opened Changhong Football Hotel, located within the Grand Canal Cultural Provincial Tourism Resort, offers 178 themed rooms, more than 300 beds, and sports-themed dining services. It entered trial operation on July 9 and is expected to fully open in August.

The resort has also launched tourism packages combining soccer events, accommodation, and water-town experiences to promote the integration of sports and cultural tourism.