Jinzhou Stadium

Jinzhou Stadium sits on a site that has hosted football for decades, though the structure visible today is a different beast from the original 1958 arena that once stood there. The current concrete shell rose in 1997, replacing the demolished predecessor. It is not a pristine venue. The pitch has always carried a reputation for being uneven, a surface that players once jokingly called a vegetable patch, but the 2020 renovation aimed to fix the drainage and bring the grass up to Chinese Super League standards.

What makes this ground distinct is the weight of its history rather than its amenities. It was the stage for the national team’s 1998 World Cup qualification matches, a period when the relationship between fans and the result was tight. The stadium does not have an official website; information flows through the Dalian Sports Bureau or local news, which keeps the place grounded in its own city rather than the digital world. The capacity is listed as 30,775, a figure that has remained stable since the new build.

It has been the home for nearly every Dalian club since the turn of the century, from Dalian Shide to the current Dalian K’un City. The atmosphere shifts with the club’s fortunes. When Dalian Yingbo played there in 2023, the average attendance was significantly lower, and the stadium fell silent more often than it erupted. While Dalian fans now flock to the newer Suoyuwan Stadium for bigger crowds, Jinzhou remains the old guard.