Best amateur football leagues in Shanghai, China

If you’re new in Shanghai and looking for a football (soccer) team, it can be surprisingly tricky to figure out what’s still active and what’s just a digital ghost. Whether you’re a youth, senior, or veteran player, the city offers a variety of options — but many outdated websites or one-shot league attempts can make things confusing.

To help you out, here’s a curated list of the most organized and reliable amateur football leagues in Shanghai (as of 2013). If you know of any others worth mentioning, feel free to comment and share.

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🇨🇳 Shanghai International Football League (SIFL)

🌐 http://www.eteamz.com/sifl/

• Established in 1995, the SIFL is a well-run, nonprofit league mainly for expatriates, though more local Chinese teams are joining each year.
• Structured into 2 divisions: Premier League & 1st Division (the latter introduced in 2006 due to league growth)
• Entirely run by volunteers
• Independent of Chinese official bodies (e.g., CFA or SFA)
• Over 2,000 players from around the world have participated

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🏆 Shanghai Premier League (SPL)

🌐 http://www.eteamz.com/sifl/

• Founded in 2003 by 5 amateur teams (including Shanghai Traffic Police)
• Aimed primarily at the expatriate community
• Double round-robin format + SPL Cup
• Runs from October to June with start & end tournaments and occasional special events

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🎉 WePlay Shanghai Football League (7-a-side)

🌐 Facebook Page

• Social and competitive 7-a-side league
• Strong ties with bars and clubs for post-match fun
• Welcomes all levels — from “Cristiano Ronaldo” to the “Fat Ronaldo”
• Community-focused and casual, but structured

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👴 SPL Veteran League

🎉 New for 2013

• Targeted at players aged 35+
• A more casual yet competitive format for seasoned players
• Run in association with the core SPL community

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🤝 ASAS Super Seven (7-a-side + Corporate League)

🌐 www.asas.com.cn | ASAS on Eteamz

• Operating since 2006, ASAS specializes in structured 7-a-side football
• Focuses on participation, inclusion, and fair play
• Also launched the Shanghai Corporate Soccer League (SCSL) featuring companies like:
  • IBM
  • Pepsi
  • HSBC
  • Shanghai Media Group
• Matches typically played on Sundays at Century Park

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👶 Shanghai International Youth Soccer League (SIYSL)

🌐 www.siyslchina.org

• Launched in 2006, now the most recognized youth league in the expatriate community
• Over 4,000 young players from ~20 international schools
• Organizes Spring and Fall seasons, each with 4 age groups
• Hosts:
  • Family Day Tournament (Pudong)
  • Sino-Cup Tournament (Puxi)