Zhengzhou Hainan

The stadium sits at the intersection of Chaofeng Road and Hanghai East Road. The roof is the first thing you notice; the rest of the city rises in tiers of concrete and brick behind it. Cars pass on the wide road, and a blue U-turn sign stands at the edge of the pavement.

At ground level the stadium is a bowl of red seats and a running track that keeps the pitch at a safe distance from the stands. The grass is natural and green. The track has not been removed; it sits there still, a ring around the field. The roof is supported by steel beams that are visible from the outside, and the structure gives the place its own shape. On match days the track is likely used by floodlight technicians or stewards; on other days it is just a track.

Henan F.C. call this place home. The club have been around long enough to have changed their name twice, and the supporters, the "Yellow Dragons," fill the lower tiers when they come. The ground is not a temple, but it is a place the club owns, which is a thing not many clubs in China can say. The club bought the property rights from the state back in 2009, and that ownership has kept them tied to the pitch.

There is no official website for the stadium. The club speak through social media and third-party platforms. The road outside is clean and wide, with a brick path leading to a gate. The roof casts a shadow over part of the seating, and the rest of the stadium is open to the sky. You can see the track, the seats, the roof, and the city.