Desheng Sports Center Stadium – stadium description

What is Desheng Sports Center Stadium like, in brief?

The modern Desheng Sports Center is located in Shunde, the southern district of the city of Foshan. The project was initiated by the Shunde authorities, who can afford large-scale investments, considering that the district is home to… over 3 million residents (!).

The complex consists of a swimming pool, a multipurpose sports hall, a training hall, and a stadium. The buildings stand out for their original, modern design, and their layout is intended to symbolize a phoenix in flight.

The project incorporates many unconventional and innovative solutions. The sports hall features the largest cable‑shell dome structure in China. A striking highlight is the spiral ramp with a viewing platform, inspired by the motif of a dragon rising into the sky.

The centerpiece of the complex is the multifunctional stadium, which can accommodate 20,000 spectators. The arena makes a bold architectural statement thanks to the massive structure surrounding it, clad in silvery panels that form both the roof and the facade.

The structure is supported by corner pillars, between which four large openings have been formed. The openings located behind the curves act as giant “windows,” giving the stadium a semi-open character and offering views of nearby bridges and buildings.

When was Desheng Sports Center Stadium built?

In 2018, the Shunde authorities (southeastern district of the city of Foshan, part of the Pearl River Delta metropolitan area) decided to launch several major infrastructure projects. Among them was a modern sports complex, including a large stadium.

The site chosen for the new complex was a wetland along the Desheng River, near the river port (Shunde Port) and a technical college (Shunde Polytechnic). The unique design of the center was created by the Guangdong Provincial Architectural Design & Research Institute.

Construction work began in May 2019, with the main building phase starting in spring 2020. Various companies were involved in the project: most of the facilities were built by China Construction Fifth Engineering Bureau, while the main stadium was constructed by Shanghai Baoye.

The construction faced numerous challenges due to the complex design and difficult geological conditions. Work lasted five years, and the complex was fully completed in May 2025. The total cost of the project was nearly 3 billion yuan.

When was Desheng Sports Center Stadium inaugurated?

The new stadium made its debut during the Guangdong Province U-16 Women’s Football Championship, held in Foshan from 26 to 31 August 2025. The first match on the stadium’s pitch took place on 26 August, when the Canton U-16 team defeated Maoming 9-0 (with players from the U-15 squad).

Desheng Sports Center facilities also played a role during the 15th National Games of China, held in November 2025. Eight women’s football matches were held at the main stadium, while basketball games took place in the sports hall.

Where is Desheng Sports Center located?

Desheng Sports Center is situated in Foshan, a city within the Pearl River Delta metropolitan area. The complex is in Shunde, on the southeastern outskirts of Foshan’s administrative boundaries, over 40 km from the city center.

The facilities are arranged along the Desheng River, next to the Shunde Polytechnic campus (opened in 2002) and the Shunde Port (operating since 1998), from which passenger ships regularly travel to Hong Kong.

A short distance to the east, the Desheng River flows into a larger waterway known as the Tanzhou Shuidao.

Before Desheng Sports Center was built, two bridges were constructed nearby along the Desheng River: a railway bridge (on the Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity line) and a road bridge (part of the S43 Guangzhou–Zhuhai West Expressway).

At the same time, near the mouth of the Desheng River at Tanzhou Shuidao, another large bridge (Shunde Bridge) was built, featuring a 626-meter-long main span and two tall, distinctive pylons.

Just over 2 km northwest of Desheng Sports Center is Shunde College railway station on the same Guangzhou–Zhuhai intercity line. The station is connected to a Foshan metro terminal, the end point of Line 3. There are plans to extend the metro line to Shunde Port, which would bring it closer to the sports complex.

What does Desheng Sports Center include?

Desheng Sports Center consists of four main sports facilities: a stadium with a capacity of 20,000, a large multipurpose sports hall for 12,000 spectators, as well as a smaller training hall and an Olympic swimming pool – both with seating for 2,000.

The buildings stand out for their original, modern design, featuring oval shapes and facades adorned with glass or silvery panels. At night, the facilities can be spectacularly illuminated.

The roof of the sports hall forms a dome supported by a network of tensioned cables, spanning 124 meters – the largest of its kind in China. Equally innovative is the pool’s roof, stretched on cables in a saddle shape with a membrane covering.

The facilities are arranged along the riverfront from west to east: the pool, training hall, main sports hall, and stadium. The layout and dynamic of the buildings are designed to resemble a phoenix in flight, symbolizing vitality, growth, and prosperity.

The buildings are connected by an elevated platform that gradually rises, reaching its highest point at the stadium, where it integrates with the roof. Three large openings in the platform create open spaces reminiscent of atria.

One of these spaces – between the stadium and the sports hall – has been used creatively, featuring a spiral ramp that leads to a viewing platform, offering panoramic views of the surroundings, especially the Desheng River and the bridges spanning it.

The winding red ramp is intended to symbolize a dragon soaring into the sky, and its design was inspired by traditional Lingnan art motifs. The spiral is nearly 100 meters long, and the viewing platform sits 52 meters above ground.

The entire complex has been carefully planned, with pathways, green areas, as well as a road tunnel and parking facilities.

What characterizes Desheng Sports Center Stadium?

The main stadium of the Desheng Sports Center features an athletics track and has a capacity of 20,000 seats. The stands surround the track almost entirely, with the exception of the southern curve, where a tall wall was built and topped by a spacious terrace. Along the sides of the pitch, the stands are expanded with a second tier.

The stadium is equipped with facilities for hosting events, VIP boxes, a large video screen above the southern curve, as well as lighting and sound systems. The folding seats in the stands form a mosaic of white, yellow, and shades of blue.

The stadium stands out for its original, avant-garde form, defined by a large steel structure that shapes both the roof and the facade. Its inner and outer surfaces are clad in silvery stainless-steel panels, covering approximately 65,000 m².

The structure is supported by corner pylons, between which four large openings were formed. Two of them create recessed bays that conceal the upper sections of the stands, while the other two, located behind the curves of the running track, function as vast “windows.” These openings give the arena a semi-open character and offer views of the surrounding bridges and buildings.