This message was posted by Suzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium
Two traditional powerhouses in Chinese soccer, Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua, played a soccer version of the "Song of the Mountains and the Sea" on the afternoon of November 25th at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center. After a number of attacks by Taishan, Shenhua's veteran Yu Hanchao beat the opponent's goalkeeper Wang Dalei with a brilliant shot in the 63rd minute of the match, helping Shanghai Shenhua beat Shandong Taishan with a score of 1-0, and successfully won the honor of four consecutive titles in the AFC Cup.
In fact, the match was not only the 2023 F.A.C. Cup final, but also the finale of Chinese soccer in 2023 at the point where the Chinese Super League season ended and the national team's World Preliminary League tournament was suspended. It was a match full of classic rivalries and fierce competition that drew a warm response from the ball market and cheers from the fans. After a series of twists and turns in 2023, this game was a perfect end to the whole season.
The fans' enthusiasm was hard to resist, and opening tickets three times remained difficult.
30,000 spectators witnessed Shanghai Shenhua winning the championship.
As we all know, Shanghai Shenhua and Shandong Taishan are both highly respected giants in the history of Chinese professional soccer, and also have huge fan bases. The ultimate matchup in the F.A.C. Cup is a huge attraction for both sides. Three-time champions Shandong Taishan are undoubtedly the reigning champions of the AFC Cup, yet the last time they lost to their rivals was Shanghai Shenhua. In the 2019 F.A.C.A. Cup final, Cui Kangxi led Shanghai Shenhua to a 3-1 comeback against Shandong Taishan and managed to win the title. Four years later, the two teams met again in the final, and at this time, Cui Kangxi, who knows the Shenhua team best, stood in the coaching seat of Shandong Taishan.
In addition, Shandong Taishan is in second place in this season's Chinese Super League, while Shanghai Shenhua ended up in fifth place. From the strength point of view, these two teams have strong competitiveness, so this match is surely the pinnacle of the competitive level of Chinese soccer. What's more, Shanghai Shenhua was pushed out of the AFC Champions League by losing to Zhejiang in the final round of the league, so the AFC Cup title will be their last chance to qualify for the AFC Champions League. Whether it's Shanghai Shenhua winning the cup for the fourth time and earning a spot in the AFC Champions League, or Shandong Taishan winning the AFC Cup for the ninth time and making it four in a row, it's a match that fans are looking forward to.
It is understood that the game was sold twice, but were quickly snapped up by fans. After the organizers made every effort to coordinate with all parties to increase the number of tickets, the third ticket sale was still snapped up quickly. In the end, a total of 31,467 fans flocked to the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium. The "Orange Flame" formed by the Taishan fans occupied the entire stand behind the home team's goal, while the "Blue Blood" fans closer to Suzhou filled almost all the other seats.
Perhaps inspired by more fans; perhaps because Shandong Taishan was missing Jadson, Moises and Fernando, and star right back Wang Tong was unable to play due to injury; Taishan's Chen Pu's header even hit the goalpost at one point after Hanchao's goal for Shenhua, but luck was not on Taishan's side, and in the end, the Shenhua fans' celebratory voices of the victory filled the entire stadium at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center.
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Taking care of the fan's viewing experience in a variety of ways
In fact, not only the Olympic Sports Center, but also the entire city of Suzhou was filled with tens of thousands of fans this weekend. A few kilometers away at Jinji Lake, Suzhou's famous "Gate of the Orient" became a beacon of publicity for the FA Cup final. The "Seed Program" of the FA Cup also took place in Suzhou Industrial Park's Jingcheng School, where coaches and players from the tournament, Li Shuai, Abdul Mehsuri and Liu Shibo, interacted with the children, teaching them soccer skills and enjoying the joys of soccer together.
Unlike other major tournaments that kick off in the evening, the organizers have made it a point to schedule the match at 4 p.m. so that both players and fans can enjoy the game in more comfortable temperatures, as the weather in Suzhou in November is already a bit chilly. This also took into account the need for fans to travel back and forth on the same day, reducing their travel expenses. In addition, the tournament organizers have prepared a variety of surprising entertainment and dining options for fans to enhance their viewing experience from multiple angles. For example, a FUNZONE will be set up in the atrium on the B1 level of the Suzhou Olympic Sports Commercial Center near the match venue specifically for fans to play and clock in.
In FUNZONE, fans are able to play with the AFC Cup final ball up close, use fun props to take beautiful headshots, play as their favorite players and take photos, and make their own fridge stickers and badges of their home team and tournament elements. At the same time, you can simulate an AFC Cup final with other fans through a soccer gaming game. There will also be official AFC Cup gift boxes and equipment available for purchase on site. In addition, there is also a punch point on the grandstand platform on the east side of the stadium where big headshots can be taken. This way, fans can watch the game and enjoy the entertainment at the same time.
A special mention should be made of the fact that the CFA Cup final set a precedent by allowing spectators to purchase and enjoy beer-based drinks. This makes soccer and beer the perfect pair of golden partners in the FA Cup, so that fans can raise a glass to celebrate the birth of the annual champion of the CFA Cup. According to the organizers, the FA Cup final offered many benefits in order to provide fans with a better viewing experience. In the new year, these initiatives are expected to be extended to the match sites in more cities in the CFA Cup, so that fans can enjoy the happiness brought by soccer together!
CFA Cup Final Completed
Chinese soccer is slowly recovering
After an intense 90-minute match, new Chinese Football Association (CFA) President Song Kai presented the CFA Cup to Shanghai Shenhua captain Wu Xi, with the entire Shenhua team holding the trophy aloft, marking the virtual end of the 2023 campaign under the CFA banner. By connecting the dots throughout the year, we can see that after three years of the tournament system and a series of off-field incidents, Chinese soccer in 2023 is steadily rebounding.
First of all, 64 teams from 2003 players participated in this year's FA Cup. The FA Cup matches were played in 53 stadiums in 38 cities, and these figures further prove that the FA Cup is still the soccer tournament with the most participating teams and the widest radiation area in China. Next year's FA Cup is expected to continue to expand, giving more amateur teams in more cities the opportunity to participate through qualifying matches and other means, according to staff from the organizers, who told Sports Big Business.
Notably, Shanghai Shenhua won the CFA Cup, which has led many fans to include the Super Cup match between Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Harbor in their viewing plans. The match has been hailed as one of the top matchups in Chinese soccer, dubbed the "Shanghai Super Derby," and is expected to spark excitement in the Chinese soccer market early in the year.
According to relevant data, the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League, 240 matches were played, attracting a total of 4,767,836 fans to the matches. The average attendance was nearly 20,000, a figure that set a new record in the past three years. Although there is still a gap compared to the peak of the golden dollar soccer era, there is no doubt that the fans' enthusiasm for watching the games is gradually being stimulated. For the Chinese Super League and Chinese soccer at this moment, this is a gratifying thing.
At national team level, they managed to beat Thailand before losing to South Korea in the first two rounds of World Cup qualifying, but most fans are positive and encouraging about the current national team. Early next year there will be the Asian Cup and home and away matches against Singapore, as well as a home game against Thailand, which will undoubtedly attract more attention. Corresponding to the influence and reputation of the matches, there is bound to be commercial value. It can be said that whether it is the AFC Cup, the Chinese Super League or the national team, the major brands in Chinese soccer are gradually recovering and if a sponsor is involved at this time at a low price, this could be a good opportunity for both sides to grow together.
Next January, the Chinese national soccer team will head to the Asian Cup tournament venue. With the Super Cup, Chinese Super League, Chinese Football Association Cup and world qualifiers also set to begin after the Spring Festival holiday, the upcoming spring will be a very busy period for Chinese soccer.
