The ‘2023 Hwarangdaegi National 메이저놀이터 Youth Football Championship’, the largest youth football tournament in the country, entered a fierce battle for 14 days, starting with the opening game in Gyeongju on the 12th.

According to the city of Gyeongju on the 13th, the city canceled the opening ceremony scheduled for the 10th due to Typhoon Kanun No. 6 and postponed the start of the competition by one day from the 11th to the 12th.

In this year’s event, which is the 20th, 501 teams from schools and clubs across the country and 10,000 people will participate.

A total of 1,600 games will be held at Alcheon Stadium, Soccer Park, Hwarang Village, and Smart Air Dome Stadium, divided into the first competition held until the 17th and the second competition held from the 19th to the 25th.

This year, in particular, the youth soccer teams of Nara City, Japan and Yangzhou City, China, which had been disconnected for a while due to Corona 19, each participated and drew attention.

Nara City and Yangzhou City, as sister cities of Gyeongju City, have continued exchanges in various fields such as sports and culture.

In preparation for heat waves, the city is concentrating on protecting players by providing cooling fog (water particle spraying) facilities at each outdoor stadium and supplying ice water with ice boxes to ensure player safety and smooth competition.

A free water play zone was installed in front of the indoor gymnasium at Hwangseong Park so that players who finished the game could cool off.

Mayor Joo Nak-young of Gyeongju said, “The majority of soccer players representing Korea are creating a great tradition to the extent that they have participated in the youth facility.” .