Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Stadium – stadium description

How does the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Stadium look in brief?

The modern football stadium in the Guangming district has a capacity of 10,000 spectators. The structure is covered with a metallic facade, a tall tower rises in one of its corners, and there is an underground parking garage beneath the pitch. The southern stand is also connected to a fitness center.

The stadium was officially opened on 12 February 2025, coinciding with the inauguration ceremony of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup. The venue’s home team is Shenzhen 2028 FC, which earned promotion to China League Two, the third tier of Chinese football, in 2024.

The stadium is part of a larger football training complex, designed for developing young talent. The complex also includes a research center, a dormitory, and the new headquarters of the Shenzhen Football Association.

How was the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Stadium built?

The idea of creating a modern football base in Shenzhen originated in 2015, when the city’s under-15 team won the national championship. The project was initiated by the Shenzhen Municipal Government.

The site chosen for the base was a largely undeveloped plot in the Guangming district. Following the planned northern extension of Shenzhen Metro Line 13, a new terminal station – Lisonglang – is expected to be located nearby.

The architectural concept for the complex was developed by the Architectural Design & Research Institute of South China University of Technology, while the full documentation was prepared by the China Construction Northeast Design & Research Institute.

The project was carried out in two phases. The first phase included the construction of several training pitches and a small stadium with an athletics track and a covered stand for 500 spectators. Work on Phase I began in December 2019 and was completed in March 2021.

Phase II involved the construction of the 10,000-seat stadium, as well as the fitness center, dormitory, and the new headquarters of Shenzhen’s football authorities (Shenzhen Football Association). Construction started in December 2021 and was completed in early 2025.

The inauguration of the main stadium coincided with the opening of the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup, held in Shenzhen. On 12 February 2025, the new venue hosted the tournament’s opening ceremony and the China vs Qatar match, which ended 2–1.

What does the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base Stadium look like?

The stadium has a modern, football-specific design and a capacity of 10,000 spectators. The stands are raised significantly above pitch level. An underground parking garage is located beneath the playing surface – yet the stadium retains a natural grass pitch.

The building is wrapped in a metallic facade, which forms both the exterior walls and the roof over the stands. To give the arena a slightly more open appearance, the continuity of the roof is interrupted at two of the corners.

A tower rises from the southeastern corner of the stadium, also serving as a lighting mast. The stadium is integrated with a fitness center building, which connects directly to the southern stand.

What is the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base?

The main stadium is part of a larger football complex – the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base. Within the complex, there is also a smaller football and athletics stadium with a 500-seat stand, as well as six additional full-sized pitches.

The complex also includes a research and training rehabilitation center, a dormitory, and the new headquarters of the Shenzhen Football Association. Smaller pitches, roads, pathways, and landscaped areas complete the facility.

The base serves as a modern research, training, and administrative center, designed to support the development of new football talent.

What events take place at the Shenzhen Youth Football Training Base?

The main stadium of the complex, together with the athletics stadium, hosted matches during the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup and football competitions (U-20 and U-18) at the 2025 Chinese National Games.

The home team of the main stadium is Shenzhen 2028 FC. The club was founded in 2023, with its primary mission being the development of young players – potentially for the 2028 Olympic Games, which explains the year 2028 in the club’s name. In the 2024 season, the team earned promotion to China League Two, the third tier of Chinese football.