The Centennial Prestigious Schools Cup sees a rematch of the Youth League final, with Yali Nanchang once again delivering a top-tier showdown.

Written by Nan Nan. On August 23, 2024, Changsha Yali Foreign Language School (Yali Foreign Language) beat Nanchang Hongcheng 3-1 in the U13 final of the 3rd China Youth Football League, becoming the first school to win the championship in the league’s history. On August 19, 2025, the two teams met again in the semifinals of the 2nd Centennial Prestigious Schools Football Elite Invitational (Centennial Prestigious Schools Cup), marking their first encounter in a year.

In last year’s final, Yali Foreign Language came from behind to win the title thanks to two goals from Yang Yuqi after conceding first. Unfortunately, Yang Yuqi, the hero of last year’s championship, was unable to participate in Hengyang this year due to a collarbone fracture sustained in an earlier match. During each pre-game team photo at this year’s Centennial Prestigious Schools Cup, Yali Foreign Language displayed Yang Yuqi’s number 77 jersey. Team captain Zhou Junye stated that this gesture demonstrates the squad’s unity, and all players hope to include Yang Yuqi in the tournament in this symbolic way.

Nanchang No. 2 High School coach Huang Weibo expressed his excitement at facing Yali Foreign Language again: “We are very happy to meet them once more in the Centennial Prestigious Schools Cup. We hope our players can gain valuable experience from this match.” Yali Foreign Language’s national championship-winning head coach Wen Fan commented, “This is a great opportunity to test the team. Since last year’s final, we haven’t played each other, so this match will show how our players have developed as they face a high-level opponent again.”

In the other semifinal, last year’s Centennial Prestigious Schools Cup runner-up Xi’an Tieyi High School will go up against Guangzhou No. 5 High School, a powerhouse in national school football, for a spot in the final. The Centennial Prestigious Schools Cup features numerous high-level national matches, even recreating the Youth League final, highlighting the tournament’s brand value and influence.

The 2nd Centennial Prestigious Schools Football Elite Exchange (Junior Boys Division) in 2025 is organized by Information Times and Soccer News, with support from the China Football Development Foundation, Hengyang Education Bureau, Hengyang Culture, Tourism, Radio, Television and Sports Bureau, and Shenzhen Kais Education Information Co., Ltd., and is held in Hengyang from August 15 to 20.