Shanghai Stadium – stadium description

How was Shanghai Stadium built?

The decision to build a new, representative stadium in Shanghai was taken in 1992. The impetus for the construction of the arena was the organisation of the eighth edition of the Chinese National Games in 1997. The decision was made to locate the stadium a few kilometres south of the centre of Shanghai, in the Xuhui district, in the vicinity of the existing sports hall and indoor swimming pool.

The design of the facility was prepared by the Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research and the main contractor was Shanghai Construction Engineering Group. Construction work began in September 1994, with the stadium costing more than one billion yuan to build. The facility was ready on time and served as the main arena for the Chinese National Games, which were held in October 1997.

Why is Shanghai Stadium known as the 'Stadium of Eighty Thousand'?

Initial plans called for a stadium with a capacity of 80,000 spectators, but this number was later decided to be reduced and the venue could eventually hold 56,000 people. However, the slogan 'Stadium of Eighty Thousand' became so popular that it is still used today as an unofficial nickname for the venue, despite the fact that the stadium never actually reached this capacity.

What events have been held at Shanghai Stadium?

In October 2007, the stadium was the main venue for the 12th Special Olympics World Summer Games, and in August 2008 it hosted some of the football competition matches of the 2008 Summer Olympics (including the 3rd place match of the men's tournament).

From 2010 to 2019, Shanghai Stadium hosted the annual athletics mythics included in the prestigious Diamond League series. The stadium also hosted the finishers of the Shanghai Marathon held in Shanghai.

From 2001 to 2005, the Shanghai COSCO football club played their matches at the stadium. From 2009 to 2019, the host of the venue was the Shanghai SIPG team, and since the 2023 season, the facility has served as the home arena for the Shanghai Shenhua team, which also played there in the 1998 season. In addition, the Italian Super Cup match took place here on August 8, 2015 (Juventus - Lazio 2:0).

When did Shanghai Stadium lose its athletics track?

A major redevelopment of the venue began in early 2020. The stadium was intended to be prepared for the 2021 Club World Cup, which was to be held in China in a new format, with more teams than before. Among other events, Shanghai Stadium was planned to host the opening match and the final of the event.

The club championship in China ultimately did not materialise due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the redevelopment was brought to a conclusion. The main idea behind the modernisation was to lower the pitch, remove the athletics track and build additional rows of stands in the lower section, transforming the venue into a football-specific arena.

As part of the project, the roof was also extended by an additional section, covering the new lower rows of spectators. A unique panoramic multimedia screen was placed in its underside. The stadium also received two new giant screens, suspended under the roof over the stands behind the goals.

Practically the entire interior of the arena was modernised, including the VIP boxes and stands, where new seats were installed. The redevelopment gave the venue a completely new look, despite retaining its original form. The stadium was ready at the end of 2022, although the reinauguration did not take place until April 16, 2023, when the first home match of the new CSL season was played here by the new host club, Shanghai Shenhua.

What characterises Shanghai Stadium?

The stadium was built on a circular plan with a diameter of 240 m. The venue has been given a harmonious, albeit asymmetrical, auditorium layout, with a noticeably larger main stand on the west side, which is the only one with an additional third tier. The building reaches a maximum height of 70.6 m. From the outside, the stadium is encircled by a raised platform 30 m wide.

Originally, the facility had an athletics track, but after reconstruction it received a football-specific layout, although it is notable for retaining the oval perimeter of the lower edge of the stands and the still relatively large distances to the playing field. With the extension, the stadium's capacity increased from 56,000 to 72,000 spectators.

The auditorium is fully covered by a canopy, supported by 32 reinforced concrete pillars arranged along the facade. Following the upper edge of the stands, the roof rises and lowers, forming a saddle-like structure. During the 2020-2022 upgrade, it was extended to include an additional section along the inner edge, 16.5 m wide, which was fitted with a panoramic multimedia screen underneath.