Sponsored by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and sanctioned by the International Federation of American Football, the competition will run until June 24.

The five competing teams are Japan, Mexico, South Korea, the United States and hosts China.

They will compete in a round-robin format with matchdays scheduled for tomorrow as well as June 16, 19, 21 and 24.

One team will have a rest day on each of the matchdays.

An inaugural edition of the World University Championship in American Football was held in Uppsala in Sweden in 2014, when Mexico won a five-team tournament also featuring the host nation, China, Finland and Japan.

In 2016, Mexico defended their title on home soil in Monterrey.

Harbin staged the Winter Universiade in 2009.

FISU launched its World University Championship series in various sports in order to crown world champions in between its flagship Universiades.

It is claimed the events give cities - and often universities - the chance to host major international sports events with minimum cost and complexity.