HZICC: Hangzhou emerges as a global hub for sports and conventions

HANGZHOU, China, July 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- "It's a really big stadium. If you're here, it's like 'wow'!" said Belgian field hockey player Louise Dewaet, impressed by the "Hangzhou umbrella"-shaped venue during her first visit to the city for the FIH Hockey Pro League 2024. Puerto Rican karate star Janessa Fonseca also described her experience at K1 Super League as ideal: "The venue, the installations—everything is optimal for us to be here."

Hangzhou has increasingly drawn the attention of global sport associations. Over 70,000 fans filled Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asian Qualifiers (third round) match between China and Australia, setting a new national attendance record for a football match.

The city's sport calendar continues to grow. In 2025, Hangzhou will host BWF World Tour Finals and FIVB Women's Club World Championship, marking the third consecutive year that these world-class events are held in the city. Olympic badminton champion and 2023 titleholder Viktor Axelsen showed his keen interest in Hangzhou. Last year, he frequently engaged with the city's updates on social media account Hangzhoufeel and expressed his desire to experience its beauty and lifestyle beyond the arena. Through consistent global outreach—from top-tier tournaments to digital storytelling—Hangzhou is becoming a familiar and admired name among athletes, who increasingly see it as a place of both professional excellence and cultural depth.

By hosting influential international expos and conferences, Hangzhou continues to enhance its global visibility. Last year, Hangzhou became the first Chinese city to host the AIPPI World Intellectual Property Congress in the event's 127-year history. Shoichi Okuyama, President of AIPPI, noted that Hangzhou boasts a strong industrial foundation and expressed confidence that hosting the Congress would help local companies enhance their intellectual property protection.

This September, the 4th Global Digital Trade Expo will highlight its international, professional, market-driven focus with a futuristic touch across themed pavilions. The UAE, this year's Guest Country of Honor, will help spotlight new opportunities in China–Middle East strategic cooperation. Meanwhile, the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves will also be held in Hangzhou, with around 3,000 delegates expected to visit the Tianmushan-Qingliangfeng Biosphere Reserve and witness the city's progress in ecological development.

With an expanding calendar of global events, Hangzhou, a rising international hub for major sport competitions and conferences in the post-Asian Games era, is stepping confidently onto the world stage.

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