Longxing Football Stadium – design description

How did plans for a new football stadium in Chongqing originate?

The stimulus for the project of a new stadium in Chongqing, was the awarding of the hosting rights of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup to China in June 2019. At the end of the same year, it was announced that Chongqing would be one of the host cities for the event. Chongqing had already been the site of Asian Cup matches back in 2004, when China first hosted the event. At that time, the games were held at the newly built Chongqing Olympic Sports Center Stadium.

For the next tournament, however, a completely new stadium was to be built, with a football-specific layout (no running track), the first of its kind in the region. Initially planned to be built closer to the center of the metropolitan area, the site finally chosen was Longxing, in the north-eastern suburbs of Chongqing, located more than 40 km from the city center. The area had begun to develop rapidly in the last few years before the stadium was built, losing its previous agricultural character.

How is the new stadium in Chongqing being built?

The first works on the construction site of the stadium started on April 24, 2020. Construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of October 2022, with the opening in December of the same year. The project will cost 2.8 billion yuan to complete. Chongqing Lifan, a club playing in the Chinese Super League, could have been selected as a potential host of the stadium. However, in May 2022, the team was dissolved following financial issues. Also in the same month, China resigned from hosting the 2023 AFC Asian Cup due to the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The negative circumstances did not affect the construction itself, which continued. Despite the dissolution of Chongqing Lifan, local football supporters have not given up hope of recreating a professional football team in the future to represent the metropolis of 17 million inhabitants. The facility could also become part of China's potential bid to host the World Cup. In addition, although the venue is to be used primarily for football matches, it will also be suitable for many other sporting and non-sporting events, such as major concerts.

What will the new stadium in Chongqing look like?

The capacity of the stadium will reach 60,000 seats, making it one of the largest football-specific stadiums in the country. The pitch will be surrounded on all sides by reinforced concrete stands. The auditorium will be divided into three tiers, with the exception of the stand behind the south goal, where the middle tier has been replaced with an enlarged lower level. The expanded bottom tier is expected to hold 9,000 spectators and will be dedicated to the club's die-hard supporters. It will be the largest grandstand of its kind in China.

Instead of the lower level of the stands behind the north goal, an empty space has been left, which can be used, for example, as a stage for a concert. On the occasion of matches, a retractable grandstand will be set up in this area. The stadium stands will be equipped with folding chairs in warm colors, arranged in wavy patterns. The upper edge of the stands will rise and fall to match the oval form of the venue.

The stands will be clad in a steel skeleton, which will provide the stadium with its final external shape. The skeleton will serve as the basis for the façade and roof sheathing. The façade shell will feature delicate bends running diagonally upwards. The metallic exterior will be interspersed with four strips created from translucent material. This motif will also be maintained in the canopy, giving the facility a uniform, yet original appearance. LED lights will be installed on the panels, allowing the façade to be transformed into a giant multimedia screen at night.

Two telebims will be suspended above the stands behind the goals. The stadium will also include commercial areas and VIP seating. The newly built venue will feature training pitches and more than 2,000 parking spaces.