Nansha builds vibrant sports city to fuel Greater Bay Area growth

Guangzhou's Nansha district marked a new milestone in its drive to become a vibrant "sports city" on July 21, formally signing the Paris Saint-Germain Football Academy (Greater Bay Area) and releasing a three-year action plan designed to embed sports into every facet of urban life.

In the first half of the year, Nansha added over 100,000 square meters of new sports facilities and hosted nine regional-level events, attracting more than 2.5 million online and offline spectators. The Davis Cup made its Nansha debut, where the Chinese team achieved a historic breakthrough, making the Nansha International Tennis Center one of the few venues nationwide to have hosted WTA, ATP and ITF tournaments.

Yingdong Education and Training Center, Nansha district, Guangzhou. [Photo/WeChat account: nanshafabu]

Local events also ignited strong momentum. The third Nansha Snooker Open linked six commercial districts, driving a 110 percent year-on-year surge in footfall, while a 50-team dragon boat invitational blended racing with intangible cultural heritage displays. A national youth women's football tournament further underscored the district's growing sports influence.

On the participation front, new community sports centers, world-champion badminton and golf academies, and pickleball parks are bringing fitness within a 15-minute radius for more and more residents. A 100-kilometer coastal cycling network with three service stations is also taking shape, backed by a growing bicycle manufacturing chain.

With deepening Hong Kong-Macao collaboration platforms and a fast-expanding smart sports industry covering smart equipment, sports tech platforms, live streaming, and intelligent cycling, Nansha is rapidly positioning itself as an international sports destination within the Greater Bay Area.