February 27, 2024 China Super Cup was held at Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai Shenhua beat Shanghai Harbor 1-0 to win the title. Reporter Yang Yi wrote that Shenhua fans accounted for most of the 18,561 fans at the venue, and they still have special feelings for Hongkou Football Stadium. This championship "farewell" to the Hongkou soccer stadium may be the most perfect result.
On December 6, 2019, Shanghai Shenhua defeated Shandong Taishan 3-0 at Hongkou Football Stadium, beating their opponents 3-1 on aggregate in the two-round final of the FA Cup. The team won the AFC Cup trophy for the third time in its history. However, due to the epidemic, the Chinese Super League experienced a three-year competition. Hongkou Football Stadium, Shanghai Shenhua's longtime home game, was left out of the professional Chinese soccer competition for three consecutive years in the 2020-2022 seasons.In the 2023 season, the Chinese Super League fully resumed its home-and-away system of play, but Shanghai Shenhua also completed a shareholding reform of the club, which is operated by the Jiuzhi Group. Thanks to Jiuzhi Sports, a subsidiary of Jiuzhi Group, there are many.
Last season, Shenhua also achieved excellent results in their new home stadium of 80,000 people, but many Shenhua fans still have a special feeling towards Hongkou Football Stadium. Unexpectedly, the CFA finally chose Shanghai Hongkou Football Stadium as the venue for the opening game of the 2024 season. 1543 days later, Shenhua returned to Hongkou Football Stadium for their first game and once again won the trophy.
Although Shenhua was the nominal visiting team at Hongkou Football Stadium on the afternoon of February 25th. However, Shenhua fans undoubtedly made up the majority of the 18,561 fans at the venue, creating the momentum of the "Devil's Home Stadium" of years ago.
The match at Hongkou Football Stadium was a Super Cup match held as a neutral stadium, but after 1543 days it was time to welcome Shenhua again. The management also made full preparations:upgrading facilities and equipment such as infield lighting system, fire and security monitoring system, press center multimedia system, infield big screen, infield main sound reinforcement system, water supply and drainage pipes, electrical equipment, hot water heater in players' lounge and remodeling of the match office, match function room and so on. 45 minutes before the start of the Super Cup, Shanghai Football Association Vice Chairman and Secretary General Lin Yi personally to the Hongkou Football Stadium Show Association 20 Award.
