by sportswriters Huang Yaoman and Zhou Yulong

LHASA, Feb. 5 (Xinhua) -- On the rugged eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau 3,700 meters above sea level, a modest village of just 5,000 residents boasts more than a dozen football teams. In Marri Town, the annual New Year Cup tournament is a homecoming ritual that draws players back from afar, blending fierce competition with family reunions amid snow-capped peaks.

The ninth edition wrapped up recently in this remote corner of Lhorong County, some 500 kilometers west of Lhasa, capital city of Xizang Autonomous Region, with 14 teams battling over two days.

As the final whistle blew, football wove together the community's New Year celebrations, turning the chilly highland air into a cauldron of warmth and excitement.

"We lost the final by one goal, but there were so many strong players this year - I'm already looking forward to next year!" said Karma Jamyang Tenphel, 27, as he clutched his team's runner-up trophy.

That passion now thrives on the town's prized "Cloud Football Field," a standard 11-a-side pitch unveiled in late 2024. Nestled in a mountain-ringed valley like an emerald gem, the field offers a stunning backdrop of distant snow mountains that seem to watch over the action.

Marri Town's children have always loved the game, but the area's steep terrain and deep ravines made finding flat ground a challenge. As a boy, Karma could only kick around with friends on a rocky wasteland littered with gravel.

"The children adore playing, but we never had a proper field," said Lodro Basum, head of Marri Village. Locals pitched in, using tractors to haul dirt and hoes to level the ground, carving out a basic dirt pitch that became the kids' joyful escape.

"After games, our shoes and socks were caked in mud, but nothing beat the excitement," recalled Karma, who returned home after college in 2021 with dreams of a real field.

Those dreams came true in 2024 when Lhorong County partnered with China COSCO Shipping Group, its designated aid provider, to invest over two million yuan (280,000 U.S. dollars) in an 8,000-square-meter facility near the old dirt site. Completed in December 2024, the "Cloud Football Field" - named for its lofty perch - has ignited even greater enthusiasm.

This year's cup marked the second on the new turf, drawing not just local squads but a team from neighboring Dingqing County. Players ranged from 16 to 47 years old. "Ten teams signed up the day we announced it - everyone's so eager," Karma said with a grin.

Adding to the buzz was a special touch: the theme song "Can't Stop," penned by local musician Sonam Chosphel. The Beijing-trained aspiring singer has never skipped a tournament. "It's my first song, and everyone backed me, so we made it the official theme song," he said.

For many, football bridges distances. "Old playing buddies working elsewhere take time off to return, and schoolchildren pester me about dates even before the holidays start," Karma said. "We all want to play together and ring in the New Year." Timed just before the year's most important festival, the event doubles as a reunion cup.

Mothers, usually tending yaks, show up with homemade barley wine and stewed beef, cheering from the sidelines. An 80-year-old neighbor arrives with a stool and butter tea, his eyes glued to the play. Fathers who built the original dirt field now volunteer, organizing or cleaning up, safeguarding the green oasis.

"Rural revitalization isn't just about material progress - it's about uplifting spirits," said town mayor Losang Tenzin. "The field has become a hub for unity, spotlighting the drive and pride of local farmers and herders." ■