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Hongkou Football Stadium

Hongkou Football Stadium is a football-specific venue located in the Hongkou District of Shanghai, China, with a seating capacity of 33,060.^[1] Opened on March 14, 1999,^[2] it was the home ground for Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua from 1999 to 2022 and is recognized as the first dedicated professional football stadium built in mainland China.^[1] The stadium features two levels of seating, 47 skyboxes, and facilities including rooms overlooking the pitch, making it suitable for both matches and concerts.^[1] The stadium's history traces back to a 1955 athletic facility on the site, which was replaced during construction that began in 1998 to create a modern football venue amid China's growing professional sports scene.^[2] Situated adjacent to Luxun Park at 444 East Bay Road, it integrates urban green space with sports infrastructure, though a 2017 fire damaged its roof membrane, leading to temporary repairs.^[2] Following Shanghai Shenhua's relocation to Shanghai Stadium in 2023, the venue has primarily hosted non-professional matches, youth games, and other events while awaiting proposed renovations. Notable events at the stadium include hosting matches for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, such as the final between Germany and Brazil attended by 31,000 spectators.^[2] It has also accommodated international friendlies and concerts, underscoring its multi-purpose role.^[1] Ongoing proposals aim to renovate the site into a mixed-use health and wellness hub, potentially expanding capacity to 50,000 seats and enhancing connectivity with surrounding parks and transit, though no completion has occurred by late 2025.^[3]

Physical Attributes

Location and Access

The Hongkou Football Stadium is situated in the Hongkou District of Shanghai, China, at 444 Dongjiangwan Road and geographic coordinates 31°16′24″N 121°28′34″E.^[4]^[5] This positioning places it within a densely populated urban area known for its historical and cultural significance, facilitating integration into the city's recreational fabric. The stadium is directly adjacent to Lu Xun Park, a prominent public green space that enhances its role within local cultural and recreational environments by providing immediate access to leisure amenities and pathways for visitors.^[3] This proximity allows seamless connectivity between sporting events and park activities, promoting a multifaceted urban experience. Access to the stadium is highly convenient via public transportation, primarily through the Hongkou Football Stadium station on Shanghai Metro Lines 3 and 8, an interchange point that serves as a key hub for northbound and east-west travel.^[6] The station, located directly beneath the stadium, offers multiple exits leading to the venue in approximately a 1-minute walk, with elevated platforms and clear signage aiding pedestrian flow during events.^[5] The stadium is owned by the Shanghai Government and operated by the IRENA Group, a sports and entertainment management firm established in 2001.^[7]^[8]

Design and Capacity

The Hongkou Football Stadium stands as China's inaugural football-specific venue, constructed with a dedicated design emphasizing soccer infrastructure rather than multi-sport versatility. Opened in 1999, its architecture prioritizes optimal sightlines and player facilities, featuring a two-tier seating arrangement that encircles the pitch on three sides, with 47 skyboxes and additional premium viewing areas behind the goals. This layout supports an all-seated capacity of 33,060 spectators, making it one of the larger dedicated football grounds in the country.^[9]^[1]^[10] At the heart of the stadium is a regulation-sized natural grass pitch measuring 105 meters in length by 68 meters in width, maintained to international standards for professional matches. The surface was fully replaced in 2016 to ensure durability and play quality, contributing to the venue's suitability for high-level competitions. Beyond the playing field, the design incorporates community-oriented elements, including three indoor squash courts and a climbing wall added shortly after opening, which expand its role as a multi-functional sports hub while preserving its primary football focus.^[11]^[12]^[13] Spectator amenities emphasize comfort and safety, with modern floodlights enabling evening fixtures, large electronic scoreboards for real-time updates, spacious VIP lounges offering exclusive access, and extensive concessions areas providing food and beverage options. In 2019, global technology firm ABB enhanced the stadium's electrical systems, installing advanced power distribution and backup solutions to boost reliability, reduce downtime, and support the high-energy demands of lighting, audiovisual equipment, and overall operations. These upgrades underscore the venue's commitment to evolving standards in stadium safety and functionality.^[9]

Historical Development

Pre-1999 Stadium

The original Hongkou Stadium was built in 1955 as a multi-purpose athletic venue in Shanghai's Hongkou District, marking one of the early post-revolutionary efforts to expand public sports infrastructure in major Chinese cities.^[1]^[10] Designed with a central football field enclosed by a running track, the stadium accommodated track and field events, football matches, and other general athletic activities, aligning with the era's focus on versatile facilities for mass participation.^[1]^[10] It served the broader sports needs of the local population for over four decades, hosting community events and amateur competitions that promoted physical fitness among workers, students, and residents.^[10] This development reflected the early communist government's post-1949 emphasis on public athletics as a means to foster national unity, health, and socialist discipline, drawing from Soviet-influenced models that integrated physical education into daily life across factories, schools, and communes.^[14]^[15] In the 1950s, such venues were part of a broader initiative to construct stadiums in urban centers, often with capacities supporting large-scale gatherings and equipped for basic training, though prioritized for ideological and workforce-building purposes over elite competition.^[15] By the 1990s, the stadium's infrastructure had deteriorated after 46 years of service, rendering it obsolete for modern professional sports due to outdated design and maintenance challenges.^[9]^[10] The presence of the running track, for instance, created excessive distance between spectators and the pitch, limiting its suitability for contemporary football while general athletic functions shifted elsewhere.^[1]^[10] This aging multi-purpose facility was ultimately demolished in 1998 to allow for a specialized replacement.^[1]

Construction and Inauguration

The construction of the modern Hongkou Football Stadium began with the demolition of the existing 1955 multi-purpose athletic venue, which had become obsolete for contemporary professional sports needs. This project marked a significant transition in Shanghai's sports infrastructure, as the new facility was designed as China's first dedicated football stadium, replacing the previous general-use structure. Funded primarily by the local Shanghai municipal government through innovative financing mechanisms adopted by regional authorities in the late 1990s, the initiative aimed to support the burgeoning professional football landscape in the country.^[16]^[1]^[10] Groundbreaking occurred on February 22, 1998, initiating a rapid 13-month construction phase that transformed the site into a modern, football-centric venue with a capacity of over 33,000 seats. The project emphasized purpose-built elements for association football while incorporating initial multi-use features to enhance community accessibility, such as three indoor squash courts and later additions like a climbing wall. This scope reflected broader efforts by local governments to modernize sports facilities amid China's economic reforms.^[17]^[9]^[18] The stadium officially opened on March 14, 1999, with its inaugural event being a domestic league match featuring primary tenant Shanghai Shenhua, underscoring the venue's role in advancing China's professional football era. This opening not only celebrated the completion of the nation's pioneering football-specific stadium but also symbolized Shanghai's commitment to elevating the sport as a key element of urban development and fan engagement.^[2]^[1]

Renovations and Upgrades

In early upgrades following its 1999 opening, the stadium underwent targeted improvements to ancillary facilities, though major structural changes were limited to ensure ongoing operational continuity.^[9] A significant electrical overhaul occurred in 2019, where ABB replaced outdated circuit breakers with modern Emax 2 models and installed an ABB Ability Electrical Distribution Control System for predictive maintenance. This upgrade addressed the end-of-life status of the original 1999 electrical components, providing a stable power supply, enhanced reliability for events, and minimized downtime during the football season, all completed in just two days without major disruptions. The work focused on better power distribution to support shops, concessions, and high-attendance matches, maintaining the stadium's capacity at 33,000 seats.^[9] Between 2018 and 2019, architecture firm Sasaki proposed a comprehensive transformation of the stadium into a mixed-use health and wellness hub, integrating it with adjacent Lu Xun Park through elevated landscapes, a 2.2 km "Midline" park along the light rail, and expanded public amenities like rooftop gardens and a soccer museum. The design emphasized sustainability via passive ventilation, rainwater collection for irrigation, and energy-generating pavers, aiming to extend the park's area by 36% and promote year-round community usage without fully halting football operations. As of 2025, the project remains in the planning phase, with no evidence of construction or partial implementation, preserving the current 33,060-seat capacity and focusing enhancements on operational efficiency rather than expansion.^[3]

Sports Usage

Primary Tenants

Shanghai Shenhua F.C., a professional football club based in Shanghai and competing in the Chinese Super League, has been the primary tenant of Hongkou Football Stadium throughout its history as a dedicated football venue. The club first adopted the stadium—then a general-purpose sports facility—as its temporary home base from 1994 to 1998, prior to the site's major reconstruction. Following the 1999 rebuild, Shenhua established Hongkou as its permanent home ground from 1999 to 2006, during which period the team achieved notable success, including winning the Chinese Super League title in 2003 (later revoked due to match-fixing allegations).^[1]^[2] After a brief relocation to Shanghai Stadium in 2007 amid the club's merger with local rivals Shanghai United, Shenhua returned to Hongkou in 2008 and continued using it as its primary venue through the 2019 season, hosting key matches such as the 2019 Chinese FA Cup final victory. The tenancy featured exclusive focus on football, aligning with the stadium's design as China's first purpose-built professional soccer arena, though intermittent gaps occurred due to Shenhua's temporary moves to larger facilities like Shanghai Stadium for capacity or scheduling reasons.^[1]^[19] In addition to the men's team, Shanghai Guotai Jun'an Yongbo Women's F.C., a prominent local women's football side, utilized Hongkou as its home venue in the 2016 season for Chinese Women's Super League matches, contributing to the stadium's role in supporting women's professional football in China.^[20] As of 2025, Hongkou Football Stadium remains operationally active for select football events, but Shanghai Shenhua F.C. has shifted its primary home matches to Shanghai Stadium since the 2023 Chinese Super League season to accommodate larger crowds and facility improvements. The stadium confirmed its continued relevance with high-profile fixtures, such as hosting the 2024 Chinese FA Super Cup between Shanghai Port and Shanghai Shenhua.^[21]^[22]

Notable Football Matches

Hongkou Football Stadium gained international prominence as a key venue for the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, hosting multiple high-profile matches that showcased the tournament's global appeal. The stadium served as the site for several Group A encounters, including the opening match where Germany delivered a resounding 11–0 victory over Argentina on September 10, 2007, setting a tone of dominance for the European champions.^[23] This lopsided result marked the largest margin of victory in Women's World Cup history at the time. The venue also accommodated semi-final clashes, contributing to the tournament's competitive intensity, before culminating in the final on September 30, 2007, where Germany defeated Brazil 2–0 with goals from Birgit Prinz and Simone Laudehr, securing back-to-back titles for the Germans in front of a sell-out crowd of 31,000.^[24] Beyond the Women's World Cup, the stadium has been a regular host for Asian club competitions, particularly AFC Champions League fixtures featuring primary tenant Shanghai Shenhua. Notable examples include Shenhua's group stage triumphs. Earlier participations, like the 2017 group stage matches where high-profile signings such as Carlos Tevez debuted, drew significant attention despite mixed results, underscoring the stadium's role in Shenhua's international aspirations.^[25] While China national team matches at Hongkou have been limited, the venue has occasionally hosted friendlies, such as the 2012 encounter against New Zealand, adding to its legacy of international fixtures.^[26] The stadium's record attendances are closely tied to these landmark events, with peak crowds during the 2007 Women's World Cup—such as 28,098 for the Germany-Argentina opener—establishing benchmarks for football fervor in Shanghai.^[27] Post-2007, high turnouts have persisted in Chinese Super League derbies and key matches, reflecting sustained fan engagement.

Non-Sports Events

Concerts

Hongkou Football Stadium has served as a prominent venue for large-scale musical performances in Shanghai since the early 2000s, accommodating international and domestic artists with its 33,000-seat capacity.^[28] Early concerts included Mariah Carey's Charmbracelet World Tour on November 12, 2003, marking one of the stadium's initial major music events.^[29] This was followed by Whitney Houston's appearance on July 22, 2004, drawing significant crowds for the co-headlining show with Dionne Warwick and Natalie Cole.^[30] The Backstreet Boys also performed there on September 26, 2004, as part of their international tour, highlighting the venue's growing appeal for pop acts.^[31] Domestic artists have increasingly utilized the stadium for high-profile tours, emphasizing its role in China's music scene. Taiwanese rock band Mayday held seven sold-out concerts from October 25 to November 3, 2019, during their Just Rock It!!! Blue World Tour, attracting over 200,000 attendees across the run and showcasing elaborate stage productions.^[32] Chinese singer-songwriter Hua Chenyu staged three nights of his Mars Concert series on September 27–29, 2023, part of a tour that overall drew more than 1 million fans nationwide, with each Hongkou show nearing the venue's full capacity of approximately 33,000.^[33] These performances featured innovative rock-infused sets, blending live music with thematic visuals. More recently, Mariah Carey returned for two shows on May 16 and 17, 2025, as part of The Celebration of Mimi tour.^[28] The stadium continues to host international tours, including Japanese rock band ONE OK ROCK's Detox Asia Tour stop scheduled for May 9, 2026.^[34] To facilitate such events, the venue has adapted with specialized stage configurations, including modular setups for enhanced visibility and audience immersion. In 2019, electrical infrastructure upgrades by ABB improved power stability and reliability, enabling seamless operation for high-demand concert productions.^[9]

Other Events

The Hongkou Football Stadium has served as a venue for various eSports tournaments, leveraging its multi-purpose facilities to accommodate gaming competitions. In 2013, it hosted the National Electronic Sports Tournament (NEST), a major offline event in Shanghai featuring Dota 2.^[35] Beyond gaming, the stadium has hosted family-oriented spectacles that utilize its large spaces for theatrical productions and live performances. These events appeal to diverse audiences seeking entertainment outside traditional sports. In line with broader development plans, the stadium is positioned for integration into a proposed mixed-use health and wellness hub as of 2025, potentially hosting fitness expos, public festivals, and cultural gatherings that promote community health and recreation. This transformation aims to enhance its role in non-athletic events by incorporating green spaces and recreational amenities around the venue.^[3] Attendance at these other events generally remains lower than for football matches or concerts, often ranging from several thousand to capacity for niche crowds, yet they play a vital role in engaging specialized audiences and diversifying the stadium's usage. The multi-use design supports smaller-scale cultural and recreational activities.^[3]

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