Hosting the China League Two Opening Ceremony, Guangdong Mingtu Strives for Promotion to League One

Reported by journalist Wang Wei At 15:00 on March 21, the opening ceremony of the 2026 China League Two season will be held at Guangdong Provincial People's Stadium. The opening match will be between Guangdong Mingtu and Ganzhou Ruishi. This season, Mingtu has hired Gao Lin as general manager and brought in several talented players, boosting the team's capabilities. Mingtu investor Wang Gang, speaking about the team's objectives, said the new season aims to qualify for the League Two promotion group and push hard for promotion to League One, targeting completion of this goal by next year at the latest. Club general manager Gao Lin stated: "We will give our utmost effort to strive for promotion to the China League One platform as soon as possible."

New home ground, new journey, new strength! Mingtu has moved its home stadium for the new season to the Guangdong Provincial People's Stadium, known as the "living fossil of Lingnan sports," a venue that embodies the enduring legacy of Guangdong football.

After the conclusion of last season, Mingtu adjusted its squad, introducing 10 new players. Among the new additions, besides formally acquiring Wen Yongjun, the club also promoted 16-year-old youngster Sun Chenxi from the youth team. Players like Huang Guangliang, Chen Yijin, and Cai Mingmin previously played in Guangzhou, and the team also includes Zhong Wenze and Zhu Xinyu, both selected for the U19 national team.

Last Sunday, Mingtu officially launched its campaign. New general manager Gao Lin, new head coach Ander and his coaching staff, along with all new players, made their appearances. Captain Huang Guangliang received the new season's battle flag from club investor Wang Gang, marking the official commencement of the 2026 season.

Gao Lin returns to Guangzhou football's professional league stage after six years, achieving a splendid transition from player to general manager. He looks forward to growing together with this young team and restoring the joy that belongs to Guangzhou fans. In an interview with reporters, he said: "Let's work together to make Guangzhou football shine again on the highest stage of professional leagues. I believe one day we will reach the summit!"

The 31-year-old Spanish young coach Ander stated: "I hope every match showcases our best condition and highest level. I want the players to be proactive and aggressive on the field, constantly pursuing victory to repay the fans' support." Captain Huang Guangliang said: "In the new season, we will play with the most resilient spirit, demonstrating Guangdong football's tactical style, and look forward to delivering exciting matches for Guangdong fans."

As a club long dedicated to football youth training, Mingtu is now entering a fruitful harvest season. Club investor Wang Gang noted that the young players in the team are showing strong upward momentum; 16-year-old rising star Sun Chenxi has already displayed match-reading abilities beyond his age. The club will continue to deepen youth training, optimize squad configuration, and advance steadily step by step.

Regarding this season's goals, Wang Gang stated that the primary aim is to qualify for the League Two promotion group and strive wholeheartedly for promotion to League One. "We have set the club's target: to achieve promotion to League One by next year at the latest. With more professional operations and a more spirited attitude, we will repay hometown fans, support the high-quality development of Guangzhou football and Southern Guangdong football, and continue writing a new football chapter for the millennium-old Dongjiaochang."

As the host of the 2026 China League Two opening ceremony, Mingtu Club will leverage its profound football cultural heritage to fully create a new local football emblem for Guangzhou. According to prior arrangements, the League Two opening ceremony was originally scheduled for 16:00 on March 21. After coordination, it has been moved forward to 15:00 on March 21. At 15:30, Mingtu will host Ganzhou Ruishi in the opening match, officially starting the new League Two season. At that time, Lingnan specialty performances such as "Lion Leaping on Green Fields, Martial Arts Flourishing" lion dance and martial arts shows will be staged successively, presenting a sports feast combining cultural charm and football passion to fans nationwide.