Shanghai: Forget coronavirus – it is like a nightmare that has long gone, at least for China. The country is in the throes of a multibillion-dollar splurge on new football stadiums. It has ramped up ambitions to be a superpower in the sport and host a World Cup as early as 2030.
The building spree is taking place despite the coronavirus pandemic which has brought much of the world to a standstill. The outbreak has ravaged economies and put live sport on hold.
The outbreak has receded in China to some extent, where it emerged in December. Now Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Guangzhou Evergrande have started construction on their 12 billion yuan ($1.7 billion) new home.
With a capacity of 1,00,000, the lotus flower-shaped stadium will for a time trump Barcelona’s Camp Nou as the world’s biggest football arena. It is expected to be complete and ready for use by the end of 2022.
Evergrande Group, a major property developer is founded by one of China’s richest men. It said it also intends to build two more 80,000-seater stadiums in China.
The country will have at least 12 major new football stadiums two years from now, said the state-run ‘Southern Metropolis Daily’. It called the development as ‘a new era for Chinese football’.
Most will be used for the newly expanded 2021 Club World Cup and the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. However, President Xi Jinping has his eyes on the biggest prize of all – the World Cup.
“I think China’s desire to apply for the World Cup is very clear,” said Ji Yuyang, a journalist for the ‘Oriental Sports Daily’. Ji said it was a matter of when, not if, China bids.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in June that he would welcome a Chinese bid to stage the 2030 World Cup, the next one up for grabs.
Guangzhou Evergrande’s new stadium made headlines because of its vast scale and bold design. But it jarred because most sport in the world is shut down. Economies, including China’s – the second largest – are reeling from coronavirus.
Moreover, Guangzhou is not holding Asian Cup games and the stadium will not be ready for the Club World Cup. The Club World Cup is poised to be put back from the summer of 2021 because of the pandemic.
Critics also queried why a club that averages about 50,000 for home matches needs such a big arena. “I think Evergrande may have two considerations. First, a 100,000-seat stadium might come in handy if China hosts a World Cup final or opening ceremony,” said Ji.
“Evergrande will also be able to make a statement. They will proclaim have the largest professional football stadium in the world, with the largest number of spectators,” Ji added.
Most stadiums currently used by Chinese football teams were built for multiple sports. They are falling into disrepair and facilities for fans are poor.
Replacing them with gleaming, football-specific arenas fits with Xi’s master plan to transform the face of the sport.
PTI
