A grassroot soccer event for disabled players featuring 36 teams from across China for a five-day tournament kicked off in Beijing on Monday.

Sponsored by Japan's Mitsubishi Group and organized by China Administration of Sports for Persons with Disabilities, the event was initiated in 2015 and has become one of the most popular sport events for the public and one of the most significant achievements from China-Japan's people-to-people exchange.

About 400 players will compete in this year's tournament in three categories - visual difficulty, hearing, and Special Olympics group mixed. Training lessons will be given to teachers and coaches working in schools for the disabled.