A match of the Guangdong Football Super League at Zhanjiang Olympic Sports Center drew more than 33,000 spectators on the evening of July 18, setting a new single-game attendance record for the tournament.

Zhanjiang, located in Guangdong province, boasts a deep-rooted football culture. Local teams have notched up multiple titles in recent years. Zhanjiang Redian‌ won the 2026 CMG (China Media Group) National Mass Football Invitational Tournament, while the Guangdong Wuchuan Youth claimed the 2025 Guangdong Football Super League championship.

The event links sports with cultural tourism and catering industries, rolling out exclusive fan benefits to extend visitor spending from match viewing to city tours and local consumption. Supporting events featuring agricultural product exhibitions and intangible cultural heritage food showcases have also helped to spread Zhanjiang’s city brand.

“After the game, we can wander around night markets and try local seafood. It makes for a well-planned weekend,” said , a local fan surnamed Wang.

Official data shows that Zhanjiang registered a 5.82 percent year-on-year rise in tourist arrivals and a 2.6 percent growth in tourism revenue during this year’s May Day holiday (from May 1 to May 5), underscoring the city's growing cultural tourism appeal.