Workers Stadium
Encyclopedia
The Workers Stadium often called Gongti or Gong Ti, is a multi-purpose stadium
in the Chaoyang District
of north-eastern Beijing
, China
. It is mostly used for football (soccer)
matches. The stadium was built in 1959 and it was last renovated in 2004 (as part of the renovation, the concrete structure was strengthened, a new rotating display screen was installed, and energy-saving devices have been installed). It currently has a capacity of 66,161 and covers a land area of 350,000 square meters. It is one of the Ten Great Buildings
constructed in 1959 for the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
.
The stadium was the main venue for the 1990 Asian Games
, where the opening and closing ceremonies were held. Some high attendance matches of the Beijing Guo'an Football Club are also held at the stadium. In 1993 the stadium bore host to a slew of World Records set by the world-leading group of Chinese distance runners at the 7th Edition of the Chinese National Games, the most famous being international stars and world champions Wang Junxia
and Qu Yunxia
, who had dominated the 1993 World Championships only a month before. The stadium therefore holds claim to the fastest women's 1500 m time ever recorded of 3:50.46, the fastest women's 3000 m of 8:06.11 and the fastest women's 10,000 m of 29:31.78. These world records still stand today and are arguably the stadium's biggest claim to fame. The next year, the stadium would be partially demolished and renovated as part of China's bid for the 2000 Olympic Games
- a bid which ultimately failed. Nevertheless, the stadium continued to be a mainstay of Beijing sport into the 21st century, being the Final venue of 2004 AFC Asian Cup
.
For the 2008 Summer Olympics
it hosted the football quarter-finals and semi-finals, and the women's gold medal final.
The stadium was scheduled to host the first ever NFL
game played in China, the aptly named China Bowl
, a preseason game between the Seattle Seahawks
and the New England Patriots
on August 8, 2007. However, the game was canceled in April 2007. The reasons given were that the NFL wanted to devote all its resources to the scheduled regular season game between the Miami Dolphins
and the New York Giants
to be played in London
on October 28, 2007.
The stadium was the host for the 2009 Barclays Asia Trophy on 29 July and 31 July 2009, featuring Beijing Guoan
, and Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Hull City
.
The areas north (Sanlitun
), east and west of the stadium are popular nightlife destinations. The xi men (West Gate) offers a strip of flashy nightclubs.
The Workers Indoor Arena
is located just to the west of the stadium.
Multi-purpose stadium
Multi-purpose stadiums are a type of stadium designed in such a way as to be easily used by multiple sports. While any stadium could potentially host more than one sport, this concept usually refers to a specific design philosophy that stresses multi-functionality over specificity...
in the Chaoyang District
Chaoyang District, Beijing
Chaoyang District is a district of Beijing, China.Chaoyang is home to the majority of Beijing's many foreign embassies, the well-known Sanlitun bar street, as well as Beijing's growing CBD. The Olympic Park, built for the 2008 Summer Olympics, is also in Chaoyang...
of north-eastern Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It is mostly used for football (soccer)
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held in Beijing and several other cities in the People's Republic of China from 6 August to 23 August. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23 teams to participate...
matches. The stadium was built in 1959 and it was last renovated in 2004 (as part of the renovation, the concrete structure was strengthened, a new rotating display screen was installed, and energy-saving devices have been installed). It currently has a capacity of 66,161 and covers a land area of 350,000 square meters. It is one of the Ten Great Buildings
Ten Great Buildings
The Ten Great Buildings are ten public buildings built in Beijing in 1959 to commemorate the ten year anniversary of the People's Republic of China. They were part of an architecture and urbanism initiative of the Great Leap Forward, and were completed in a time span of ten months, by their...
constructed in 1959 for the 10th anniversary of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
The stadium was the main venue for the 1990 Asian Games
1990 Asian Games
The 11th Asian Games also known as XI Asiad were held from September 22, 1990 to October 7, 1990 in Beijing, China. It was the first large-scale international sports event to be held in the People's Republic of China. A total number of 6,122 athletes, coming from 37 countries, competed in 29 sports...
, where the opening and closing ceremonies were held. Some high attendance matches of the Beijing Guo'an Football Club are also held at the stadium. In 1993 the stadium bore host to a slew of World Records set by the world-leading group of Chinese distance runners at the 7th Edition of the Chinese National Games, the most famous being international stars and world champions Wang Junxia
Wang Junxia
Wang Junxia is a Chinese former long-distance runner.-Career:Wang was coached by Ma Junren until 1995 and by Mao Dezhen from 1995 to her retirement after the 1996 Atlanta Olympics....
and Qu Yunxia
Qu Yunxia
Qu Yunxia is a Chinese Olympic athlete who specialized in the 1500 metres.At the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona she won a bronze medal on 1500 m. In 1993 she achieved the still standing world record in the 1500 metres at 3:50.46 minutes while running in the National Games of the People's...
, who had dominated the 1993 World Championships only a month before. The stadium therefore holds claim to the fastest women's 1500 m time ever recorded of 3:50.46, the fastest women's 3000 m of 8:06.11 and the fastest women's 10,000 m of 29:31.78. These world records still stand today and are arguably the stadium's biggest claim to fame. The next year, the stadium would be partially demolished and renovated as part of China's bid for the 2000 Olympic Games
2000 Summer Olympics
The Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
- a bid which ultimately failed. Nevertheless, the stadium continued to be a mainstay of Beijing sport into the 21st century, being the Final venue of 2004 AFC Asian Cup
2004 AFC Asian Cup
The 2004 AFC Asian Cup football competition is the thirteenth staging of AFC Asian Cup. It was held from July 17 to August 7, 2004 in China. The defending champions Japan defeated China in the final in Beijing....
.
For the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
it hosted the football quarter-finals and semi-finals, and the women's gold medal final.
The stadium was scheduled to host the first ever NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
game played in China, the aptly named China Bowl
China Bowl
The China Bowl was the name of a proposed National Football League pre-season exhibition game that had been scheduled to take place in August 2007, but later postponed to 2009 and ultimately canceled, between the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks at the National Stadium in Beijing...
, a preseason game between the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
and the New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
on August 8, 2007. However, the game was canceled in April 2007. The reasons given were that the NFL wanted to devote all its resources to the scheduled regular season game between the Miami Dolphins
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
and the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
to be played in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
on October 28, 2007.
The stadium was the host for the 2009 Barclays Asia Trophy on 29 July and 31 July 2009, featuring Beijing Guoan
Beijing Guoan
Beijing Guoan Football Club Beijing Guoan Football Club Beijing Guoan Football Club (Simplified Chinese: 北京国安 is part of CITIC Group (China International Trust and Investment Corporation). Their current home stadium is Workers Stadium and the Fengtai stadium for less popular games. The current head...
, and Premier League clubs Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United and Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
.
The areas north (Sanlitun
Sanlitun
Sanlitun is an area of the Chaoyang District, Beijing containing many popular bar streets and international stores.The area has been under almost constant regeneration since the late 20th century as part of a city-wide project of economic regrowth...
), east and west of the stadium are popular nightlife destinations. The xi men (West Gate) offers a strip of flashy nightclubs.
The Workers Indoor Arena
Workers Indoor Arena
The Workers' Indoor Arena, also known as Beijing Workers' Gymnasium , is an indoor arena located west of the Workers Stadium in Beijing, China. It was inaugurated in 1961 for the 26th World Table Tennis Championships....
is located just to the west of the stadium.
External links
- Football stadia in China
- Sports Illustrated Article, retrieved April 03, 2007
- The Chronicle of Gongti Ximen, article about nightlife area
- Football Tours in China