Post by adidas

Backyard Legends reimagined – China style! 🇨🇳 Shanghai has built on the Brooklyn-based Backyard Legends concept that was brought to life in our FIFA World Cup 2026 film celebrating the joy of football from backyards to the world’s biggest stage.  Through a distinctly local lens, the team in China has localized Backyard Legends – in a spectacular combination of football, culture, technology, and entertainment. As the FIFA World Cup 2026 got underway on the other side of the globe, Shanghai brought the beautiful game to its core – delivering an experience as bold, high-energy, and unforgettable as the city itself, including: 🎡 A waterfront turned into a football carnival ⚽ A tournament of three-against-three matches with 18 cross-discipline teams including comedians, rappers, athletes, and creators 🤖A robot football player, blending sport with innovation 😎 Guest appearances by actors Ma Sichun and Wang Hedi A standout example of local innovation was the co-creation of original content with tech giant, Tencent. The reality show “上车吧！球王” (“Get on Board – the GOAT is here!) toured China to spotlight grassroots football talent, culminating in a live finale at the Backyard Legend Pitch. The winning Dalian team, led by actor Zhang Yunlong, secured four tickets to the 2026 FIFA World Cup Final – taking the spirit of China’s street game to the global stage. China’s take on Backyard Legends turned a global idea into something extraordinary and specifically Chinese – a brilliant fusion of sport and technology, entertainment-packed, and absolutely epic.  #BackyardLegends #China #Innovation #FootballCulture #HereToCreate #BrandExperience #FIFAWorldCup2026

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