An employee soccer match is held at an outdoor soccer field of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

The Binjiang District Employees' Soccer League, which is known to locals as the "Folk World Cup", kicked off at the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center on Nov 5.

The league is hosted by the district's federation of trade unions and organized by the soccer associations of Hangzhou and Binjiang. Thirty-eight teams and 561 people are participating.

An employee soccer match is held at an outdoor soccer field of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center. [Photo/Hangzhou Daily]

Tu Guoping, president of the district's federation of trade unions, said that the league enriches employees' lives and helps cultivate Hangzhou's sports culture.

He added that the league promotes exchanges and cooperation between enterprises and provides a platform for soccer fans to communicate.

Xiang Hongbin, a participant who spoke at the opening ceremony, is an employee at Binhe Environmental Construction Group. He said the matches will be held on natural turf, allowing amateurs to enjoy professional standards.