The 2025 Hainan (Wenchang) Township Volleyball League kicks off on June 15. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

The 2025 Hainan (Wenchang) Township Volleyball League kicked off at a ceremony held in Longlou town on June 15. The event drew 32 teams from 11 cities and counties across the island.

The two-month tournament, running till Aug 10, will feature 68 matches across four Wenchang towns, blending sports with local culture through village concerts, fashion shows, feasts and markets.

This year’s edition has expanded in both scale and age range. Teams from Haikou, Sanya and eight other regions will take part, with players ranging from a 12-year-old newcomer to a 53-year-old veteran.

New features include an “external player” rule allowing top teams to recruit two non-qualified athletes and a push to standardize the local nine-player volleyball format.

Matches will be broadcast globally, including in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Denmark.

Since its 2023 debut, the event has drawn over 1.2 million spectators, generated 500 million yuan ($69 million) in tourism revenue and amassed 1.3 billion online views.

The village volleyball tournament draws numerous spectators. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]