Girls compete in the U11 category of the 2023 Chinese Football Association Youth Football Championship (Key City Group). [Photo/hangzhou2022.cn]

Eight girls football teams from Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing and Hangzhou gathered in Tonglu county on March 12 for a competition in the U11 category of the 2023 Chinese Football Association Youth Football Championship (Key City Group).

After two days of competition, Suzhou's Red Team led the Hangzhou tournament with four victories and 12 points.

The eight U11 girls' teams will complete three stages of competition, with the next round of matches set to be held in Hangzhou from April 7 to 9. The higher-ranking teams will have the opportunity to participate in youth games organized by the East Asian Football Federation.

The CFA Youth Football Championship was organized by the General Administration of Sport and the Chinese Football Association. It has become a new platform for talent exchange, selection, and improvement for young football players in key cities.

The tournament kicked off in March, with 270 teams from 15 cities considered key to the development of football and covering age groups from U10 to U15. These teams will participate in over 3,000 games over the course of the nine-month tournament. The competition is expected to boost football training in key cities and improve the youth football competition system.

Girls compete in the U11 category of the 2023 Chinese Football Association Youth Football Championship (Key City Group). [Photo/hangzhou2022.cn]