As the FIFA World Cup 2026 sparks football fever around the world, the championship matches of the Village Super League (VSL), also known as "Cun Chao," are heating up in Rongjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in southwest China's Guizhou Province. In the VSL, local villagers form their own football teams, hometown fans sing and dance to cheer on players, and agricultural products are awarded as prizes to winners. Since taking the spotlight in 2023, the down-to-earth football tournament has grown from a county-level sporting event into a widely recognized rural sports IP with nationwide appeal and global influence. Behind this phenomenon, intellectual property protection has played a key role, helping the VSL evolve from a viral sensation into a sustainable and influential brand.
Trademark strategy builds Guizhou's "Village Brands"
Turning short-term popularity into long-term brand value has become a major challenge for the VSL. "For local public brands such as the VSL, sustainable development depends on timely action, comprehensive protection, effective management, public-oriented development and continued expansion," a principal official from the Guiyang Intellectual Property Protection Center (hereinafter referred to as Guiyang Protection Center) said.
Following the rise of the football tournament, Rongjiang County moved quickly to guide relevant enterprises to register trademarks for the VSL, Village FA, and the bull-head logo across all classes at an early stage. A total of 135 related trademarks have since been registered. The county has also adhered to a public-interest approach by establishing unified brand licensing standards and developing an IP-based industrial ecosystem to regulate the use and operation of the VSL brand.
"Trademark right confirmation has given the VSL a clear brand identity and helped it transform from a viral event into a nationally recognized IP. This approach provides a replicable model for cultivating and operating similar local brands across China," the official said. The bull-head logo trademark is currently being filed for international registration under the Madrid System, marking further progress in the global expansion of the VSL brand.
Creative products revive ethnic heritage
The VSL official mascot featuring Rongjiang Watermelon — a geographical indication (GI) product of China — as its signature element, has won hearts with its adorable design. The VSL series of cultural and creative products, inspired by local intangible cultural heritage (ICH) techniques, showcases distinctive craftsmanship. The VSL's vitality lies in its growing cultural and creative ecosystem.
"The cultural and creative industry of the VSL integrates local ICH techniques and GI resources into product design, creating a diverse product portfolio for different consumer scenarios. These products not only enrich the meaning of the event brand, but also serve as an effective vehicle for promoting ethnic culture and increasing local incomes," the official explained. In recent years, the Guiyang Protection Center has worked with the Guizhou Copyright Protection Association to provide one-stop intellectual property services for ICH products related to the VSL, establishing a streamlined pathway for creators to secure intellectual property rights from the very beginning of the creative process.
To date, Rongjiang County has cultivated 12 key cultural and creative enterprises and ICH workshops. More than 450 ICH-based products and over 250 football-related derivative products have been developed, with the cultural and creative industry of the VSL gradually taking shape on a larger scale.
Coordinated protection secures market vitality
The rising popularity of an IP calls for stronger intellectual property protection. As the VSL brand continues to gain popularity, the Guiyang Protection Center has strengthened coordinated protection efforts. In March 2026, the center signed a cross-regional intellectual property cooperation agreement with the intellectual property authority of the Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, incorporating the protection of the VSL and other "Village Brands" into key areas of cooperation.
"Through a cross-regional cooperation mechanism based on resource sharing, complementary strengths and coordinated action, we have improved collaboration among provincial, prefectural and county-level enforcement bodies. We have also strengthened supporting services, including referrals of infringement leads and professional guidance, helping to regulate market activities and safeguard the legitimate rights of the VSL public brand," the official added. For example, at the beginning of this year, unauthorized products using the VSL logo, including alcoholic beverages and soft drinks, began appearing on the market. After receiving a request for assistance from the brand operator, the center quickly formed an investigation team under the coordination of the provincial intellectual property authority and visited Rongjiang County to provide support. The team offered guidance on trademark registration, patent applications and proper brand usage, helping improve the brand authorization management system.
Professional services help Guizhou enterprises go global
Over the past three years, the VSL's influence has extended far beyond China's borders. More than 1,000 athletes from dozens of countries have visited Rongjiang County for exchanges and competitions. As the football tournament develops into an international sports and cultural brand that attracts people from around the world to join the fun, Guizhou enterprises are increasingly seeking opportunities to expand overseas.
"To take brands global, intellectual property protection must come first," the official said. To support enterprises in expanding overseas markets, the center has provided professional assistance in two key areas: international intellectual property strategy planning and overseas risk prevention. On one hand, it guides VSL operators to develop overseas trademark strategies tailored to different markets, including registrations under the Madrid System and individual national trademark filings. On the other hand, it has established a long-term overseas intellectual property risk monitoring mechanism to issue timely alerts. By combining early risk monitoring with professional support, the center helps enterprises manage overseas intellectual property disputes and build a stronger foundation for international business expansion.