2026 "Provincial Super" Battle Drums Sound as Listed Companies Race to Seize Sports Event Economic Dividends

Securities Daily Reporter Ding Rong

The curtain for the 2026 “Provincial Super League” is about to rise. On March 18, the Guangdong Football Association officially released the event manual for the 2026 Guangdong Provincial City Football Super League (hereinafter referred to as “Yuechao”), confirming that the first round of matches will be held in 10 cities across Guangdong from April 25 to 26. Besides Guangdong, the opening matches for the 2026 “Provincial Super League” in Jiangsu, Hubei, and other regions have also been scheduled.

Fu Yifu, a special researcher at Su Commercial Bank, told Securities Daily: “Entering 2026, provincial football super leagues are characterized by ‘early start, wide coverage, strong participation.’ Several provinces are starting their first rounds earlier than last year, with longer schedules, which is expected to continue energizing fans. In terms of coverage, the number of participating cities and teams has increased, with balanced layouts within each province. Additionally, the schedule arrangements in many regions are designed to maximize public participation, which could further boost social engagement and unleash the ‘multiplier effect’ of the event economy.”

Multiple regions to kick off competitions consecutively

It is reported that the 2026 “Yuechao” will cover 21 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong Province, divided into 11 teams in the East District and 10 in the West District. The entire season will adopt a home-and-away format, with 123 matches spanning seven months. Ticket prices for each match are set at 8.8 yuan. The age limit has been relaxed to include players aged 16 to 40, allowing young athletes, amateur experts, and veteran players to participate, aiming to achieve the goal of “three generations playing together and the whole public sharing the joy of football.”

A review by Securities Daily shows that many regional football super leagues are about to start intensively. For example, the 2026 Jiangsu Provincial City Football League (hereinafter “Suchao”) is scheduled to kick off on April 11 in Changzhou. The 2026 Hubei Provincial City Football League (“Echao”) will begin on April 12 in Huangshi. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Football Super League (“Mengchao”) will hold its first round of regular matches from May 16 to 17.

Fu Yifu said: “In organizing these events, several provinces have accumulated practical experience in competition systems, home game management, fan organization, and security measures, which also validates successful approaches such as low ticket prices and strong promotion.”

Yuan Shuai, Deputy Secretary-General of the Zhongguancun Internet of Things Industry Alliance, told Securities Daily: “This year, several provinces are further optimizing schedules, increasing venue capacity, improving broadcast quality, and strengthening the integration of ‘events + culture, tourism, and consumption,’ which is expected to promote high-quality development of the event economy.”

Listed companies actively planning

As a phenomenon-level sports event in 2025, “Suchao” lasted 175 days, with 85 matches, connecting the entire chain of “food, accommodation, transportation, tourism, shopping, entertainment” through tickets. Jiangsu regions have extensively carried out over 1,800 cultural and tourism activities and more than 130 benefit measures such as ‘Travel with the Event.’ According to Jiangsu Provincial Department of Commerce, “Su chao” has achieved a leverage effect where a 1-yuan ticket stimulates 7.3 yuan in surrounding consumption.

Securities Daily learned that in response to the economic benefits of the event, listed companies are actively deploying. Jiangsu Broadcasting Cable Information Network Co., Ltd. attaches great strategic importance to the “Su chao” high-quality sports IP, continuously promoting deep integration in event broadcasting, cross-screen fusion, and integration of culture, commerce, sports, and tourism. A relevant company official recently stated on Shanghai Stock Exchange e-Interaction: “We are working with Jiangsu Sports Industry Group to explore ongoing cooperation on digital content dissemination and smart venue interactive experiences for the ‘Su chao’ brand.”

China Sports Industry Group Co., Ltd. is actively seizing the opportunities brought by the booming development of mass fitness and regional sports events. Relying on strategic partnerships and years of comprehensive event operation experience, it is deeply involved in the professional operation and upgrading of mass sports events. A company official said: “By exporting standards, management, and resources, we help localities create high-quality event IPs, promote the prosperity of the sports industry ecosystem, and contribute to building a higher-level public service system for全民健身 (mass fitness).”

“With the expanding influence of the events, the ability of the ‘sports+’ industry chain in various regions to undertake these activities is being tested. Upstream and downstream enterprises need to innovate proactively, cleverly transforming event traffic into cultural, tourism, and ‘retention’ benefits, upgrading to new drivers of economic ‘increment,’ so that the event economy dividends can be converted into new momentum for consumption and industrial upgrading,” Yuan Shuai said.