German 4th-tier clubs in favour of adding China U-20s to league

The German Football Association (DFB) has come up with a unique way to even out the fixture list of the 19-team Regionalliga Sudwest: by adding China's Under-20 side.

With a financial incentive of €15,000 each, the clubs in the division have responded positively to the young internationals plying their trade in Germany's fourth tier from next season. It would be a similar agreement to the one which sees Shenzhen-based Kunlun Red Star competing in the Canadian Women's Hockey League.

League executive Felix Wiedemann told Bild - with translation from BBC Sport - that "all 19 clubs" were in favour of China's Under-20s joining the fourth rung to face the likes of Wormatia Worms and Hoffenheim's second team.

"I therefore believe the project is on a good path," he added.

The agreement is part of the five-year cooperation between Germany and China, which is intended to see the latter develop its proficiency in the game with encouragement from the country's football-mad president XI Jinping. In turn, Germany will be able to improve its outreach in the extensive East Asian market.

"They see this idea positively," DFB vice-president Ronny Zimmermann shared with Kicker. "The planned cooperation with China is known and for that we need good content."

A fixture list is expected to be drawn up in an upcoming meeting between Regionalliga Sudwest managers.