Record 182 events boost Shanghai's sports economy in 2025

Shanghai hosted a record 182 international and domestic sporting events in 2025, generating 13.5 billion yuan ($1.9 billion) in direct economic impact and driving a total economic effect of 35.8 billion yuan, according to a report published on Feb 28.

The 2025 Shanghai Sports Events Impact Assessment Report evaluated all 182 events, assigning each event a maximum score of 1,000 points. Among the top-ranked competitions, the Shanghai Rolex Masters led with 982 points, followed by the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix with 965 points and the Shanghai Marathon with 958 points.

Other highly influential events included the World Rowing Championships and the Shanghai Longines Global Champions Tour.

Shanghai has leveraged major sporting events to drive consumption by integrating sports with related cultural, commercial, tourism, and exhibition activities.

The Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix attracted over 220,000 spectators on-site, generating 2.47 billion yuan in direct economic impact and a total economic effect of 6.91 billion yuan, bolstered by related events such as the Checkered Flag Carnival.

The Shanghai Rolex Masters drew 250,000 fans, with its box office revenue surpassing 100 million yuan for the first time, while its diversified “1+X” ticketing model featured bundled packages such as "match ticket + travel pass" and "match ticket + hotel stay", further boosting related spending.

In 2025, sports events generated a combined 13.1 billion yuan in spending across six major consumption sectors— dining, accommodation, transportation, tourism, shopping, and entertainment— accounting for 36.4 percent of the total economic impact driven by sporting events.