Shanghai has released its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for sports development, outlining goals and initiatives to advance its development as a globally renowned sports city.

Targets for 2030

Key targets include:

• Public fitness: The proportion of residents regularly participating in sports will reach around 58 percent, and sports venue area per capita will reach approximately 2.9 square meters.
• Sports industry: Major sporting events are expected to generate an average annual economic impact of at least 35 billion yuan ($5.21 billion), with the sports industry's value added accounting for about 2.2 percent of GDP.

Expanding Shanghai's international event lineup

Shanghai plans to bid for one or two top-tier events to support its goal of becoming a globally renowned sports city. It will also seek to attract top-tier international events in athletics, swimming, gymnastics, beach volleyball, and emerging sports with strong international recognition and commercial value.

Shanghai will host major events to a high standard, including the Shanghai stop of Olympic Q-Series 2028 and the 2026 UCI Track World Championships.

The city will also work to help the Shanghai Marathon join the Abbott World Marathon Majors and develop the Head of Shanghai River Regatta into a top-tier international event.

Integrating sports with tourism and commerce

Shanghai will support sporting events at tourist attractions, in neighborhoods, and in commercial districts, while promoting travel centered on sporting events.

The city will also work to attract internationally renowned sports companies and encourage domestic and international sports brands to open first stores in Shanghai.

Advancing infrastructure and regional cooperation

Shanghai will complete construction of the water sports center in the Lin-gang Special Area and advance the Qizhong Tennis Center complex and surrounding facilities to develop Maqiao into a tennis town.

The city will further promote the integrated development of sports across the Yangtze River Delta and collaborate with neighboring areas to develop regional event brands, including the Yangtze River Delta International Triathlon and the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala.

Supporting international organizations and sports governance

Shanghai will support international sports organizations in establishing headquarters, regional offices, or functional entities in the city.

As part of efforts to improve sports governance, the plan also calls for strengthening the CAS Shanghai Alternative Hearing Centre and for improving dispute-resolution mechanisms within sports organizations.

Sources: Shanghai Municipal People's Government, Shanghai Administration of Sports