SHANGHAI, China, Apr 24 – China is in the throes of a multibillion-dollar splurge on new football stadiums, ramping up ambitions to be a superpower in the sport and host a World Cup as early as 2030.

The building spree is taking place despite the coronavirus pandemic which has brought much of the world to a standstill, ravaging economies and putting live sport on hold.

But with the outbreak receding in China, where it emerged in December, Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Guangzhou Evergrande last week began construction on their 12 billion yuan ($1.7 billion) new home.

With a capacity of 100,000, the lotus flower-shaped stadium will for a time trump Barcelona’s Camp Nou — which is set for expansion — as the world’s biggest football arena, once it is completed by the end of 2022.

Evergrande Group, a major property developer founded by one of China’s richest men, said it also intends to build two more 80,000-seater stadiums in China.

The country will have at least 12 major new football stadiums two years from now, said the state-run Southern Metropolis Daily, calling it “a new era for Chinese football”.

Most will be used for the newly expanded 2021 Club World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, but President Xi Jinping has his eyes on the biggest prize of all.

“I think China’s desire to apply for the World Cup is very clear,” said Ji Yuyang, a journalist for the Oriental Sports Daily.

Ji said it was a matter of when, not if, China bids.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in June that he would welcome a Chinese bid to stage the 2030 World Cup, the next one up for grabs.

– Fit for a World Cup final –

Guangzhou Evergrande’s new stadium made headlines because of its vast scale and bold design.

But it jarred because most sport in the world is shut down and economies, including China’s — the second largest — are reeling from coronavirus.

Moreover, Guangzhou is not holding Asian Cup games and the stadium will not be ready for the Club World Cup, even though the tournament is poised to be put back from the summer of 2021 because of the pandemic.

Critics also queried why a club that averages about 50,000 for home matches needs such a big arena.

“I think Evergrande may have two considerations. First, a 100,000-seat stadium might come in handy if China hosts a World Cup final or opening ceremony,” said Ji.

“Another point is that Evergrande will be able to make a statement by saying that they have the largest professional football stadium in the world, with the largest number of spectators.”

Most stadiums currently used by Chinese football teams were built for multiple sports. They are falling into disrepair and facilities for fans are poor.

Replacing them with gleaming, football-specific arenas fits with Xi’s master plan to transform the sport in the country on and off the pitch.

– ‘Soft power of stadiums’ –

In Shanghai, which has ambitions of holding the Olympics, a 33,000-seat stadium for CSL side Shanghai SIPG is scheduled to be finished next year.

Shanghai Stadium, the biggest arena in the city and SIPG’s former home, is also undergoing major renovation.

Ji said that while the Evergrande Group were likely paying for Guangzhou’s new stadium, in some other instances it was a combination of the club and local government.

Professor Simon Chadwick said that aside from China’s World Cup aspirations, the rush on new stadiums sends a message that “China is developing and becoming healthier and stronger.

“There’s something about the iconography and symbolism of the stadiums, particularly the Guangzhou development,” said Chadwick, director of the Centre for the Eurasian Sport Industry at Emlyon Business School.

“This is a huge stadium, incredibly striking design, pictures of it have been carried across the world and people are commenting on it across the world.

“It’s almost the soft power of stadiums. China is trying to use these hugely distinctive stadium designs as a way of attracting people and attention, of getting people to understand that China wants the same things that other countries want.”

(Visited 14 times, 14 visits today)

%thecontent%%avatar%

%author%

%authornetworks%

%authordescription%

%authornetworks%

Comments

%sidebar%","opedarticle":"","sidead1":"ff","sidead2":"","sidead3":"","homestory":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More--","taxonomyitem":"

%title%

%game%%date%Read More------","fixtureitem":"%name1%%score1%VS%score2%%name2%%time%","home":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn 1rn 2rn 3rn 4rn 5rn rn rn rn

Tribunal calls for May 5 talks over FKF polls

rn rn rn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn Read Articlern rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

More Headlines

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn China signal W. Cup ambition with new football stadiarn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Don’t rush to restart La Liga, Bale warnsrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 1 hour ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Another blow to athletics as European Championship cancelledrn

rn rn Athleticsrn rn rn rn 52 minutes ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Serie A season to be extended until August 2rn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 14 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Mayor wants investigation into Liverpool-Atleti matchrn

rn rn Footballrn rn rn rn 18 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

rn Ferrari performs quick u-turn over F1 budget caprn

rn rn Motorsrn rn rn rn 19 hours ago rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrn rn rn

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

All Sports

rn trn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

China signal W. Cup ambition with new football stadia

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Don’t rush to restart La Liga, Bale warns

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Another blow to athletics as European Championship cancelled

rn rn rn Athleticsrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Serie A season to be extended until August 2

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Mayor wants investigation into Liverpool-Atleti match

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Poll Question

rn rn ntnttnttntt

WILL ARSENAL FINISH TOP FOUR IN 2019/20 EPL SEASON?

ntt
• NO
ntt
• YES
ntt

View Results

ntnn Loading ...n rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Ferrari performs quick u-turn over F1 budget cap

rn rn rn Motorsrn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

UEFA open to seasons ending early but Champions League qualification should be ‘on sporting merit’

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Sports nostalgia all the rage during virus lockdown

rn rn rn rn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

German football targets May 9 restart but needs political green light

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn rn

Premier League matches could return on free-to-air TV

rn rn rn Footballrn rn Thursday, 23rd Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn Read Morern rn rn rn rn rn --rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Load More Storiesrn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Sponsored

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn

Featured

rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Tribunal calls for May 5 talks over FKF pollsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Concours releases list for 2020 classesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn China signal W. Cup ambition with new football stadiarn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Don’t rush to restart La Liga, Bale warnsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Another blow to athletics as European Championship cancelledrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnttt","sidebar":"rn rn rn rn rn rn rn rnrnrnrn rn rn rntrn rn t

Most Popular

rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rnrn rn rn rn t

Featured

rn rn trn rn rn rn rn Timothy Olobulurn Tribunal calls for May 5 talks over FKF pollsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn Capital Sportrn Concours releases list for 2020 classesrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn China signal W. Cup ambition with new football stadiarn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Don’t rush to restart La Liga, Bale warnsrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rnrn rn rn rn rn AGENCE FRANCE PRESSErn Another blow to athletics as European Championship cancelledrn rn rn Viewrn rn Friday, 24th Apr 2020rn rn rn rn rn rn rn trn rn rn rn","articleerror":"

Oops...Something broke on our end

"},"messages":{"accessdenied":"Access to the account has been denied ","httperror":"Oops, something went wrong...please try again","contactgoogle":"Contacting Google","firsttime":"Seems this is your first time with this signin system. Please wait as we get your name","signinsuccess":"Cool. You're now signed in. This signin will close automatically now","pendingrequest":"Still communicating with the server","signedout":"Seems you were signed out. Try submitting again after you've been signed in","trackingerror":"Couldn't track Analytics","xhrnotconfigured":"To webmaster: Please confirm the xhr/ajax receptor is configured on the server","loadmore":"Load more stories"}}; /* ]]> */