The third Friendship Cup football invitational tournament kicked off in Beijing on Saturday, bringing together representatives from Chinese government departments and businesses, foreign embassies, business associations and foreign-invested companies.

The third Friendship Cup football invitational tournament opens in Beijing, Aug. 22, 2026. [Photo/CCPIT]

Organized by the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), the tournament features 24 teams and aims to strengthen exchanges, mutual understanding and cooperation.

"We usually meet one another in conference rooms, around negotiating tables, at official ceremonies or business events. Today, we meet on a football field, and I think that is a very good thing," said Radouane Chaouki, chargé d'affaires ad interim at the Moroccan Embassy in China.

"Football has an extraordinary ability to bring people together," Chaouki said. "We may come from different countries, speak different languages and represent different institutions, but on the field we immediately understand the same language: teamwork, respect, fair play and friendship."

Guests kick off the ball to mark the opening of the third Friendship Cup football invitational tournament in Beijing, Aug. 22, 2026. [Photo/CCPIT]

Mikio Takagi, vice chairman and chief operating officer of Canon (China) Co. Ltd., said the tournament offered a chance to strengthen friendship and mutual trust among participants.

"Through the tournament, we look forward to more exchanges with both old and new friends and to exploring cooperation in a wider range of areas," Takagi said. "We wish the tournament every success and hope everyone enjoys the joy that football brings."