Southeast Asian police teams go to "Village Super League" to play football

China News Service, Rongjiang, Guizhou, November 8 (Reporter Yuan Chao) The 2026 Lancang-Mekong Police Football Match was held in Rongjiang County, Guizhou Province, the birthplace of the "Village Super League". The Lancang-Mekong Police Football Team, composed of law enforcement agencies from six countries including Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, competes with the Rongjiang “Village Super League” football team on the same field and makes friends through football. The Lancang-Mekong Police Football Team relies on the “Village Super League” platform to deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges between law enforcement agencies in Lancang-Mekong countries and strengthen the cooperative friendship among regional law enforcement agencies.

This competition is hosted by the Lancang-Mekong Comprehensive Law Enforcement and Security Cooperation Center (hereinafter referred to as the Lancang-Mekong Law Enforcement Cooperation Center), the first intergovernmental international organization for comprehensive law enforcement and security cooperation in the Lancang-Mekong River basin. The theme is "Lancang-Mekong Unity, Police Friendship Will Last".

At the entrance ceremony, cheerleaders dressed in Rongjiang Dong, Miao, Shui and other costumes accompanied the Lancang-Mekong Police Football Team. The team members held local delicacies and slowly walked into the stadium accompanied by Lusheng music. Ethnic songs and dances warmly welcomed the guests, and there were cheers on site. The welcome ceremony with unique Rongjiang ethnic characteristics allowed guests from law enforcement agencies from all over the world to immerse themselves in the colorful ethnic customs.

Thachai Phitanirab, deputy chief superintendent and police general of the Royal Thai Police, who came from afar and is over 50 years old, is a football enthusiast. As the game progressed, the physical shortcomings caused by age gradually appeared, but he basically completed every assist on the field and persisted in playing the entire game. "The cheerleading team is zero distance from the stadium. The sound of gongs, drums and cheers have been ringing in my ears. This enthusiasm has always encouraged me to persevere and not want to rest."

In Thachai Phhitanirab's view, this trip to the green field of the "Village Supermarket" allowed him to truly see the vitality of China's rural areas. With sports as a platform and cultural empowerment, popular football matches attract fans and spectators from far away. This not only activates the local tourism industry, but also allows local people to increase their economic income.

What impressed Sisavat Sompongheng, deputy director of the Lao-China Cooperation Division of the Foreign Affairs Bureau of the Lao Ministry of Public Security, was the solid and proficient football skills of the "Village Super League" players. What's even more rare is that these players are not professional athletes. They come from all walks of life, including farmers, shopkeepers, and drivers. They stand on the green field with their pure love for football. This love for football from the bottom of their hearts is touching.

This tournament aims to implement the spirit of the ministerial meeting on law enforcement and security cooperation among the six countries and continue to consolidate the foundation of regional law enforcement cooperation. It is hoped that the six teams will enhance understanding, deepen friendship, and build trust during exchanges and exchanges, promote the deepening and solidification of Lancang-Mekong law enforcement and security cooperation, and make greater contributions to building a peaceful, tranquil, prosperous, beautiful, and friendly Lancang-Mekong homeland.

"Football transcends language and national boundaries, allowing police officers from the six countries to understand each other, including each other's discipline, character and team spirit." Deputy Secretary-General of the Lancang-Mekong Comprehensive Law Enforcement Security Cooperation Center Weng Sai Panta Weng said that he will use the event to look to the future, strengthen the coordination and integration of regional law enforcement security cooperation, carry out joint operations against prominent transnational crimes such as telecommunications network fraud, human trafficking, drug trafficking, money laundering, and play the role of the Lancang-Mekong Law Enforcement Cooperation Center to protect the security, stability and prosperity of the Lancang-Mekong region. (over)