Jiangsu's Football Loop: How a Triple Victory Cycle Turned Three Small Clubs into a Viral Meme.

The story began on May 10, when Zhenjiang recorded its first win of the 2025 Jiangsu Provincial Urban Football League (commonly abbreviated “苏超”, the Jiangsu Super League) by edging out Yangzhou 3‑2 in a tightly contested debut. A few weeks later, on May 31, Yangzhou reversed fortunes, beating Changzhou 1‑0 in the third round of the competition. The pattern seemed incomplete until August 16, when Changzhou secured both its inaugural goal of the season and its first victory, a narrow 1‑0 triumph over Zhenjiang.

What caught netizens’ attention was not simply the individual results but the perfect circle they formed: each of the three clubs had managed to defeat only one of the others, and each had been beaten by the remaining team. In other words, Zhenjiang beat Yangzhou, Yangzhou beat Changzhou, and Changzhou beat Zhenjiang—a tidy loop that some fans likened to a game of “rock‑paper‑scissors” on the pitch.

The “tao‑chuan” label, which literally means “to make a loop” or “to be encircled,” quickly became a shorthand for the three‑team cycle. Social media posts peppered with the hashtag #苏超套圈 spread across Weibo and local forums, accompanied by playful graphics depicting the three city logos chasing each other in a circle. The meme resonated not only because of its novelty but also because it captured the spirit of provincial football: modest budgets, passionate local support, and the occasional surprise that fuels community pride.

Beyond the humor, the episode hints at a broader dynamic within Jiangsu’s burgeoning regional sports market. The Jiangsu Super League, launched last year to give smaller cities a platform for professional football, has already begun to generate economic spillovers. Match days draw crowds to local stadiums, boosting ticket sales, food‑and‑beverage revenue, and nearby hospitality businesses. The “tao‑chuan” storyline has amplified that effect, as curious fans travel to witness the next chapter of the loop, while local sponsors seize the opportunity to attach their brands to the trending narrative.

Politically, municipal leaders have welcomed the heightened visibility. In Changzhou, the city’s sports bureau released a statement praising the team’s “hard‑won victory” and emphasizing the role of football in fostering youth engagement and city branding. Zhenjiang’s mayor office highlighted the team’s “competitive spirit” that has already put the city on the provincial map, while Yangzhou’s officials pointed to the match‑day festivities as a showcase of community cohesion.

The “loop” may be a fleeting meme, but its ripple effects illustrate how regional leagues can become cultural touchstones. For the three clubs involved, the pattern offers a simple yet compelling storyline that keeps fans invested, media outlets buzzing, and local economies humming on match days. Whether the cycle will persist—perhaps with a fourth team breaking the loop or one side finally clinching a double win—remains to be seen. For now, the Jiangsu Super League’s most talked‑about narrative is less about points tables and more about the charm of a perfect, three‑city circle that has captured the imagination of a province.