WEUFT kicks off in Xi'an

The 2025 World Elite University Football Tournament (WEUFT) kicked off on July 19 at the Xi'an Sports Training Center, with football teams from elite universities gathering for a one-week high-level competition and cultural exchange.

The WEUFT has become the most influential university football competition brand globally since it was initiated in 2016, adhering to the core concept of "starting with football, more than just football". The landing in Xi'an in 2025 marks a new stage in the event's development.

The tournament attracted eight top global universities, including University of Oxford, Tsinghua University, and University of Cambridge. It adopted a development model integrating sports education and sports tourism, enhancing international cultural exchange through multi-dimensional paths such as competitive exchange and mutual cultural learning.

Jia Xiaoheng, Peking University football team's captain, said, "We won our first match against Seoul National University this morning, which gave us a great confidence boost. This is my third time in Xi'an, and what impressed me the most was that the audience was very enthusiastic. We can feel the excitement people in Xi'an have for football."

The organizing committee also arranged a series of activities including a youth football development exchange seminar, allowing participants and audiences to experience the integration of sports and culture.