A message from the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium depicts a soccer feast.
In the late afternoon of November 25th, Shandong Taishan and Shanghai Shenhua, two traditional powerhouses of Chinese soccer, staged a "battle of the mountains and the sea" at the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center. Taishan's fierce attack failed to shake Shenhua's defense until the 63rd minute, when Shenhua veteran Han Chao hit a powerful shot to repel Taishan's goalkeeper Wang Dalei, helping Shenhua win the fourth consecutive AFC Cup with a score of 1-0.
The match was not only a final, it was a perfect ending to the 2023 season of Chinese soccer at a crucial time when the Chinese Super League season was coming to an end and the World Preliminary League was suspended. The heat of the tournament ignited the ball market and the fans cheered to the tune of a perfect ending to the season.
More than 30,000 spectators witnessed Shenhua's championship moment, despite the challenge of tickets going on sale all three times.
Shanghai Shenhua and Shandong Taishan are two names that have shone brightly in the history of Chinese professional soccer and attracted countless fans. This F.A.C. Cup final is extremely attractive for both sides. Shandong Taishan have won the title three times, while Shanghai Shenhua turned back Taishan 3-1 to win the title in 2019. Four years later, the two teams met again, but this time Cui Kangxi stood on the coaching bench of Taishan.
In this season's Chinese Super League, Taishan is in second place and Shenhua is in fifth place. Both teams are equally strong, and this match is undoubtedly the pinnacle of Chinese soccer competition. For Shenhua, the AFC Cup title is their last chance to qualify for the AFC Champions League; for Taishan, it is a challenge to realize a fourth consecutive title.
Despite the difficulties in selling tickets for both teams, 31,467 fans were attracted to the Suzhou Olympic Sports Center. The "orange flame" of the Taishan fans and the "blue blood" of the Shenhua fans formed the passionate atmosphere of the match.
After Han Chao's goal, Taishan's Chen Pu hit the goal post with a header, but luck was not on Taishan's side. Finally, Shenhua fans celebrated the victory in Suzhou Olympic Sports Center.
We offer a full range of services to enhance the fan's viewing experience in a variety of ways.
In fact, the whole city of Suzhou was immersed in soccer fever this weekend. The "Gate of the Orient" by Jinji Lake became a landmark for the promotion of the FA Cup final, and the "Seed Program" of the FA Cup went into the Jingcheng School, letting the fun of soccer be passed on to the children.
As the weather is getting colder in Suzhou in November, the organizers set the match time at 4:00pm so that players and fans can watch the match at a more comfortable temperature. At the same time, the organizers have also prepared a wealth of entertainment and food and beverage to enhance the fans' viewing experience from many angles.
At FUNZONE, fans can play with the FA Cup final ball, take photos, create their own fridge stickers and badges with elements of the home team and the tournament, and even simulate an FA Cup final through soccer e-sports games. There are also punch points on the grandstand platform on the east side of the stadium, allowing fans to watch the match and enjoy the entertainment at the same time.
It is especially worth mentioning that this FA Cup final allows spectators to purchase beer-type beverages, which is a perfect combination of soccer and beer as a golden pair, so that fans can raise their glasses to celebrate the birth of the annual champion of the Chinese Football Association Cup.
The successful conclusion of the CFA Cup final marks the basic conclusion of the 2023 tournament under the Chinese Football Association. After three years of the tournament system and a series of off-field events, Chinese soccer in 2023 is steadily rebounding.
This year's FA Cup tournament attracted 64 teams with 2003 players, and matches were played in 53 stadiums in 38 cities, proving that the FA Cup is still the soccer tournament with the largest number of participating teams and the widest radiation area in China.
After Shanghai Shenhua's title win, many fans are looking forward to the Super Cup match between them and Shanghai Harbour. The match is touted as the top showdown in Chinese soccer and is expected to ignite a heated atmosphere in the Chinese soccer market at the beginning of the year.
The 2023 season of the Chinese Super League attracted 4,767,836 fans to the matches, with an average attendance of nearly 20,000, a new record for the past three years. Although it is still far from the peak of the golden dollar soccer era, the enthusiasm of the fans is gradually being aroused.
At the national team level, they beat Thailand and lost to South Korea in the World Cup qualifiers, but fans were positive and encouraging. The Asian Cup and home and away matches against Singapore early next year, as well as the home match against Thailand, will no doubt attract more attention.
Next January, China's national soccer team will travel to the Asian Cup venue. After the Spring Festival holiday, the Super Cup, the Chinese Super League, the Chinese Football Association Cup and the world qualifying matches will start one after another, and the spring of Chinese soccer will come soon.
