Tianjin is one of four municipal cities which come under the direct jurisdiction of the Central Government of the People's Republic of China.

Located in the north-east of the northern province of China, among the low reaches of River Haihe, it neighbours Beijing to the west and faces the sea to the east. Unsurprisingly, Tianjin is a hub of transportation. It has a population of over ten million, which is spread across its 15 districts and three counties.

When the Grand Canal was built during the Sui Dynasty (581-618 AD), many new towns, including Tianjin, began to emerge. It got its name in 1404 when the Ming Dynasty created the 'Tianjin Wei' or the 'Tianjin prefecture.' Like Shanghai, Tianjin's status as a port city saw it develop from a small town to a modern metropolis at a quick pace during the first half of the 20th Century. Since then it has been the major city of finance and trade in northern China.

With its industry established, education in Tianjin boomed and a number of first-class schools, universities and colleges were founded. Among these the most famous are Nankai University and Nankai Middle School. The latter is particularly well-known for its long line of celebrated former students, with former China premier Zhou Enlai the most notable.

Tianjin has also produced a host of folk artists who invented Yangliuqing Spring Festival paintings, Nirenzhang painted sculptures, Weiji kites, Kezhuanliu brick carvings and Tianjin tapestry. These are all nationally or internationally recognized artworks. Colorful buildings are another eye-catching sight of the city.

In the 19th century Tianjin's priorities as a coastal city attracted European colonists who came to settle in this city and developed the city according to their background. Some buildings are Gothic, or based on the English medieval style, while others have their roots in Greece or France. These buildings, coupled with traditional Chinese architecture and modern skyscrapers make Tianjin a diverse city.

Such a culturally important and economically vibrant city also has a rich footballing tradition. Tianjin set up its first football team back in 1957 and they quickly took the domestic game by storm to become double winners just three years later. When China started its football transformation with the inception of the professional A-league in 1994, Tianjin was excluded from the first division. However, they fought their way back to the top flight and in 1997 they were promoted to the coveted A-league.

With the founding of Tianjin Teda in 1998, the club has steadily improved over the past several years. With China's former No1 Liu Yunfei in goal and international midfielders Cao Yanh and Hao Junmin in midfield, Tianjin established themselves as a top-six club in 2007.

Tianjin's women also did well in the same year, as they won both the league and cup to become of double winners for the first time in their history. A number of players emerged during the last season, including forwarded Zi Jingjing, who spearheaded China's attack at Russia 2006 and who will figure prominently for Steel Roses at Beijing 2008.