China’s relinquishing of its hosting rights for the 202s AFC Asian Cup is likely to result in new football stadiums built for the tournament standing empty.
Seen as part of a long term plan for the nation to host the FIFA World Cup in the 2030, a project driven by China’s President Xi Jinping, cities across the country have sunk massive amounts of money to build eight new stadiums and renovate two others for the now abandoned Asian Cup next year.
However, with China sticking to its rigid zero-Covid policy and its biggest city, Shanghai, only just now tentatively emerging from a lengthy lockdown, the Asian Cup now numbers among a number of events being cancelled or postponed in the world’s most populous nation.
Simon Chadwick, Director of the Centre for the Eurasian Sport Industry at Emlyon Business School, stated “the Asian Cup was simply the prelude to a men's World Cup bid.”
In addition, as Agence France-Presse reports, Chinese Super League is waiting to start the new season and when it does looks certain to take place at closed neutral venues because of Covid.
Nonetheless, China has turned to big-ticket infrastructure projects to drive its pandemic-stricken economy with new sporting venues was part of that plan.
Some, like the futuristic 60,000-seater Egret Stadium in the coastal city of Xiamen, are springing up in cities which do not have a top-tier football team to call the venue home.
Beijing-based sports consultant William Bi told Agence France-Presse “the ones in relatively smaller cities like Xiamen or in cities where there are (existing) stadiums like Xi'an... are more liable to be white elephants.
"As the economy is backsliding there is little chance for splashing money to build a club that deserves a giant stadium."
Developers have added facilities that will allow the new stadiums to double up as concert venues, but China's strict Covid restrictions have killed the live-entertainment industry along with the football.
Chadwick warned that China is already struggling to re-use other major sporting venues built in recent years, adding “when resources are scarce this is an incredibly wasteful and sub-optimal way of planning.”
About a dozen of the 18 teams supposed to be playing in the CSL this year are backed by real estate companies - but a cooling economy has left many developers scrambling to repay loans.
The local government took away a US$1.86 billion stadium construction project from floundering developer Evergrande, which owns former Asian champions Guangzhou FC, Chinese media group Caixin reported in March.
The Guangzhou Evergrande stadium was initially planned to have a capacity of 100,000 and a striking lotus flower-shaped design, although the end product will see the bold idea somewhat scaled back.
Chadwick noted "investment in football was politically expedient on the part of developers as it helped cultivate strong relationships with the state.
"What this recent turbulent period appears to have done ... is to cut the cord between football and property development, raising questions about the future of Chinese football."
Football-fan President Xi's dreams of turning the nation into a powerhouse of the sport capable of staging and even winning a men's World Cup have faded markedly over the last few years.
The country’s ambitions to be a global sporting hub have also been crushed, at least in the short term, by its hardline Covid strategy.
With the exception of this year's Winter Olympics, held in a virus-secure Beijing ‘bubble’ in February, China has cancelled or postponed almost all international sports events since Covid emerged in Wuhan in late 2019.
The Asian Games, due to be staged in September in Hangzhou, were postponed earlier this month. It is unclear when China will host an expanded football Club World Cup - it was supposed to be last year.
Bi went on to say "China's reputation as a reliable sporting event host has been damaged.”
With Agence France-Presse.
Image: Concept for the Xian International Football Centre. Credit: Negativ.
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-founder/Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Born in the English county of Dorset, Nigel Benton is the co-founder and Publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry and the www.ausleisure.com.au website - the go to news resource for industry leaders and professionals.
With a long-term commitment to communicating all that is best about the leisure industry (aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues) his career has been defined by an ability to develop and implement industry communications.
Starting his career working in heritage visitor attractions and then adventure travel in Africa and the Middle East, an interest in writing about his experiences led to his change of career into magazine journalism and publishing.
In addition to publishing, Nigel speaks on marketing communications at a range of industry events.
He was made a Life Member of the World Leisure and Recreation Association in 2006 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society (London).
In 2020, he launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
As of October 2024, he was inducted into the Australian Fitness Awards Roll of Honour at the 2024 AUSactive National Awards.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
His philosophy on life is to be kind to all and to indulge those that you love.
His passions include family, Newcastle United and motorcycles (especially British ones) as well, until February 2025 when she left us, caring a little pug named Stella.
Click here to connect with him via LinkedIn.
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