On February 27, 2024, the flames of the China Super Cup were ignited at the Hongkou Football Stadium, and Shanghai Shenhua managed to reach the top with a narrow 1-0 victory over Shanghai Seaport. Reporter Yang Yi lamented on social media that the enthusiasm of Shenhua fans took up most of the cheers of the 18,561 on-site spectators, who had unbreakable emotions for Hongkou Football Stadium, and that the victory in this match might be the most perfect farewell to this hot spot.
Dating back to December 6, 2019, Shanghai Shenhua had beaten Shandong Taishan 3-0 at Hongkou Football Stadium to win the AFC Cup with a two-round aggregate score of 3-1 in the final, the third time in the team's history that they had won the AFC Cup. However, the shadow of the epidemic loomed over the Chinese Super League, and the Hongkou Football Stadium failed to witness the beacon of the professional league for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022.In the 2023 season, with the return of the competition system, Shenhua completed the reform of the club's shareholding, and the involvement of Jiuzhi Sports brought new vitality to the team.
Last season, Shenhua's new home stadium of 80,000 people was also a great place to play, but many Shenhua fans still have a special fondness for Hongkou Football Stadium. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) accidentally chose the Hongkou Football Stadium as the venue for the first match of the 2024 season, and 1,543 days later, Shenhua returned to the stadium and started their new campaign with a victory.
Although Shenhua appeared as the visiting team at Hongkou Football Stadium on February 25th, the 18,561 spectators at the venue were filled with the chants of Shenhua's fans, as if they were back in the golden age of the "Devil's Home Stadium".
The Super Cup match was held in a neutral stadium, but after 1543 days, Hongkou Football Stadium once again welcomed Shenhua. To prepare for the match, the management of Hongkou Football Stadium carried out a full range of upgrades and renovations, including infield lighting, fire protection, monitoring, press center, big screen, sound reinforcement system, water supply and drainage, electrical equipment, and facilities and equipment in the players' lounge, etc. The match office and function rooms were also given a new look. Forty-five minutes before the start of the match, Lin Yi, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of the Shanghai Football Association (SFA), personally presented the Show Association 20 Award for Hongkou Football Stadium.
