Yellow River Sports Center Stadium – design description

When were plans to build a new football stadium in Jinan made?

In 2020, there were reports of plans to build a modern, football-specific stadium in Jinan. The city already had two large stadiums (Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium and Shandong Provincial Sports Center Stadium), but both had a football and athletics layout. Along with the stadium, an entire sports and research complex was also to be built. The plan was approved for implementation in spring 2021.

What are the aims of Yellow River Sports Centre design?

The design of the complex is the result of a collaboration between HPP Architekten and the Beijing Institute of Architectural Design (BIAD). The centrepiece of the premise will be a football stadium with a capacity of 61,000 spectators. Two other large facilities will be built next to it, one of which will be a sports hall and the other will house an indoor swimming pool and fitness centre. The complex is to be built on the northern outskirts of the city, in Cuizhai District, on the left bank of the Yellow River, away from the city centre.

A sizable square will be built in front of the complex's main sports facilities. The buildings will be surrounded to the east and south by park and recreation areas with paths and training pitches. A hotel and buildings for research and development purposes are planned for the southern part of the complex.

What will the stadium at Yellow River Sports Centre complex be like?

The stadium will be built on a circular plan, although inside the stands will follow the shape of a rectangular field. The facility will be surrounded by an elevated promenade with four large entrances to each stand. The building will be given a subtle form, intended to symbolise a slightly open shell with a pearl inside. The façade will be covered with overlapping undulating layers, shimmering in golden hues, alluding to the meanders of the Yellow River flowing nearby.

The lower edge of the façade will undulate, revealing the interior at each of the four entrances. The façade will be horizontally divided into two parts, with a gap in the middle to accommodate a wide, panoramic viewing terrace. The upper part of the façade will merge into one with the roof, which will cover the entire auditorium and will be partly glazed.

The auditorium will be divided into three levels. The main stand with VIP boxes will be located on the west side. Shops and other commercial facilities will be located in the stadium to ensure that the venue also functions outside match days.

The main user of the stadium will be Shandong Taishan, one of the most successful football clubs in China. The facility is to be suitable for hosting football matches and other events at the highest international level. The stadium will be the first professional, football-type stadium in Jinan and the third of its kind in the entire Shandong province (after facilities in Rizhao and Qingdao).

When will the new football stadium in Jinan be built?

A coverage of the construction of Yellow River Sports Centre Stadium can be seen on a separate subpage

The implementation of the entire project is expected to cost 8.5 billion yuan. However, the stadium itself is to be built first, costing 1.965 billion yuan. The main contractor for the facility is the China Construction Eighth Engineering Bureau. Construction of the arena began in the second half of 2022, with the facility expected to be ready by the end of 2024 and opening in the first months of 2025.