Chinese Government Approves Football League Backed by Ron Jaworski, Dick Vermeil

Professional football continues to expand its reach around the world, with a new arena football league poised to start play in China this October. 

Per Ron Clements of Sporting News, the Chinese government approved the China Arena Football League (CAFL), which will be run in part by former NFL head coach Dick Vermeil and former NFL quarterback Ron Jaworski. 

AFL Global President David Niu said in Clements' report that "this will be China's first-ever professional league of American-style football, played by the best players in the world."  

Clements noted that a release said the league will consist of six teams "mostly of Chinese players who have been training for the arena game at select Chinese universities."

The league's roots date back to 2012, with the hope of opening play in 2014. It took longer than expected to make the reality come true, but now that it's here, everyone can rest much easier. 

Jaworski is no stranger to running a sports business or franchise. He is a part-owner and the team president of the AFL's Philadelphia Soul as well as an investor in the Elite Football League of India. 

Soul co-owner Marty Judge explained to Dusty Lane of China Daily in 2012 how the league plans to have success in China: "Our goal is in China, for China. The NFL went into Europe, and it failed because you need to have (a country's own) players on the teams."

Based on the plans for the league dating back four years, there's been plenty of planning and thought regarding bringing football as most Americans know it overseas. 

China is one of the biggest markets in the world, with a population of nearly 1.4 billion. Having a league that plays and practices football as it is played in the United States isn't bad for the sport in general.