Beijing, Chengdu in Global Sports Cities list

Article posted by Coliseum, September 14^th, 2023

Image: Chengdu Expat

Beijing and Chengdu in China were named Number 4 and Number 8 among global sport cities for event hosting in a report ‘Global Sport Cities – The Olympic Ecosystem’ recently released by Quantum Consultancy, an international professional sports think tank, and the Durham University Business School (UK).

‘yahoo!finance’ stated that the report has unveiled the top 60 Cities based upon their hosting of major multisport games and world championships across the sporting ecosystem, giving them prestigious recognition as global sport Cities for event hosting.

Chengdu, capital of Southwest China’s Sichuan Province, is one of two Chinese Cities to make it to the top 10 behind Beijing. Beijing was numbered No. 4 because of its ‘Dual-Olympic City’ advantage.

Apply for membership

“Chengdu has embarked on an event hosting strategy which includes two large-scale international multisport games in quick succession with the recently concluded 31^st FISU World University Games and the World Games in 2025,” says the report.

‘yahoo!finance’ further stated that the Cities are ranked based on their cumulative event score which considers the number of events a City has hosted or are set to host between 2021 and 2028, as well as the size, scale and recognition of these events as part of the points-based methodology.

The report analyzed 355 individual event editions across 95 sports and 156 event properties. In total, 75 host nations and 330 host Cities will have hosted this set of pinnacle events between 2021-2028, demonstrating greater diversity in the number and type of destinations hosting these events in comparison with previous years.

The competition among Cities to host major international sports events is becoming increasingly fierce on a global scale, which indicates that winning the privilege to host major international sports events is getting more demanding and challenging.

Based on the cycle from 2021 to 2028, the report compares and analyzes the major comprehensive sports games and world sports events held by significant Cities worldwide under the Olympic ecosystem and select the top 60 Cities worldwide with high scores in hosting international events for release. Among them, Paris, which will host the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2024, topped the list.

Tianfu Olympic Sports Park Cash Injection

More than CNY¥7 billion (£765 million/$955 million/€892 million) is to be invested into the development of the Tianfu Olympic Sports Park in Chengdu (Sichuan, China) before the staging of the 2025 World Games.

‘inside the games’ stated that the Tianfu Olympic Sports Park is situated in the Eastern New District of the Chinese City and is set to play a key role in the hosting of the Games in two years’ time. It encompasses areas of Sancha Lake and Longquan Mountain Urban Forest Park, with a total planning area of 86,000 square meters.

As the first large-scale complex integrating water sports, mountain sports and comprehensive sporting events in Sichuan, its overall floor plan includes the formation of three Olympic Sports functional platforms including a mountain sports area, a water sports area and a core area along with 13 competition stadiums according to the concept of “integrating mountains, rivers and Cities”.

The 2025 World Games, officially known as the XII World Games, and commonly known as Chengdu 2025, is the 12^th edition of the World Games, which includes sports and sporting disciplines that are not contested in the Olympic Games. It is expected to be held from August 7^th-17^th, 2025 in Chengdu, Sichuan, China.

‘inside the games’ further stated that spanning an area of around 86 square kilometers, the park aims to become a hub for major sporting events.

The plans include five projects that are expected to exceed CNY¥7 billion.

Among those include the Tianfu Olympic Sports Commercial Service Industrial Park which is set to be boosted by an investment of CNY¥3.2 billion (£350 million/$436 million/€407 million).

Once created, it is expected to host conferences and exhibitions and provide space for regional headquarters of global sporting organizations.

Another large chunk of the investment is due to be injected into the Tianfu Olympic Sports Medicine Industrial Park.

A total of CNY¥3.2 billion is set to be expended into the 100-acre site in a bid to create a “global high-level sports and health industry hub”.

Other investments include CNY¥220 million (£24 million/$30 million/€28 million) into the Sancha Lake International Marathon Track and CNY¥200 million (£22 million/$27 million/€25 million) into the Olympic Sports Cultural Tourism Center.

A further CNY¥200 million is also set to go towards the Sancha Lake International Water Sports Center that is expected to help with the development of sports including rowing and stand-up paddleboarding.

Chengdu was chosen as the Host City for the Games in 2019. It will be the third Asian City to stage the multisport event after Akita in Japan in 2001 and Kaosiung in Chinese Taipei in 2009.

Chengdu hosted this year’s International University Sports Federation Summer World University Games where 6,500 athletes from 113 nations participated in 18 sports.

Continue to follow Coliseum for latest updates on venues business news. Coliseum is dedicated towards building the best global community of sports and entertainment venue executives and professionals creating better and more profitable venues.

Become a member of the only Global Sports Venue Alliance and connect with stadiums, arenas and experts from around the world. Apply for membership at coliseum-online.com/alliance and make use of the 365Coliseum Business.

Watch 250 member-exclusive videos with valuable tips for your venue