Xi'an to hold 2026 international youth football tournament

The "Chang'an Cup" 2026 Xi'an International Youth Football Invitational Tournament is set to kick off on Sept 18, bringing together teams from home and abroad.

Players and coaches rally in a team huddle. [Photo/Xi'an news network]

The tournament has been held for two consecutive editions. With professional event organization and a high-quality exchange platform, it has drawn youth training teams from many countries and youth academy squads from domestic professional clubs, making it a key gateway for soccer in Northwest China to compete internationally.

The tournament consists of two major phases: domestic regional qualifiers and the international invitational. The domestic qualifiers will run from Sept 18 to 24, with teams from across China competing for qualifying spots. The international invitational will take place from Oct 14 to 21, bringing together top domestic and overseas teams.

During the event, Sino-foreign youth cultural exchange activities will also be held, allowing players to experience Xi'an's profound historical heritage and modern sports vitality.

Xi'an will continue to upgrade event organization standards and improve the education-sports integration system for youth development, fostering a new landscape for high-quality soccer growth.