Sporting Life - Summer Olympics - Beijing 2008

Beijing Workers' Stadium

The Beijing Workers' Stadium was originally constructed in 1959 and is regarded as one of China's most famous sporting venues. However, since 2006 it has undergone a major facelift to bring it into line with the standards required to host Olympic football matches and now this vast arena, which spans 350,000 square metres, can seat up to 60,000 people.

Interestingly the stadium's a gigantic 120 square meter display screen, which will provide fans with competition broadcasts, will be turned to face the road outside after the Olympics and be primarily used for public announcements.

The Workers' Stadium is also playing it's part to help the environment as it uses energy saving devices instead of windows while the water, drainage, sprinkler and fire detection systems have all been updated.

Shanghai Stadium

The Shanghai Stadium is one of the most modern in China having been completed in 1997 and therefore was almost an automatic choice to help with the staging of Olympic football.

Situated in the commercial centre of the Xujiahui district of Shanghai, the 56,000-seat stadium extends over an area of 190,000 square metres while it's 20 km from the city's Hongqiao airport and 50 km from the Pudong airport.

The futuristic design has won widespread praise and in 2000 FIFA President Sepp Blatter said it was equal to Europe's finest.

Shenyang Olympic Stadium

Designed to look like a crystal crown decorated by olive branches, this 60,000-seater is one of the country's most visually striking venues and was only completed in 2007 having replaced the famous Wulihe Stadium, which was torn down. Even so it will always retain that ground's symbolism of being the venue where China beat Oman in 2001 to book their place at their first ever World Cup.

Since construction began on March 1, 2006, workers have worked day and night to get the stadium ready for the Olympics and make sure it's the proud cornerstone of a sporting complex that includes a 10,000-seat gymnasium, a 4,000-seat natatorium and a 4,000-seat tennis field, with a total area of 260,000 square meters.

Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Center Stadium

Completed in July 2004, the Qinhuangdao Olympic Sports Centre Stadium has a white curving roof which resembles a huge sail to symbolise its location in this famous coastal city.

Covering 168,000 square metres, this venue has a capacity of 33,572 and is therefore the smallest of the football stadiums - but it has been previously used to stage international friendlies.

Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium

The Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium is expected to remain as one of the nation's premier sporting venues long into the future and its capacity of 60,000 has room for 500 VIPs, 300 members of the media and 120 seats for the disabled.

Situated to the southwest of the city's downtown area, the stadium spans 78,000 square metres and is also said to fully represent the three Olympic concepts - "Green Olympics," "High-tech Olympics," and "People's Olympics".

The venue is part of the competition section of the Olympic Center which also includes an aquatic sports center, an international sports exchange center, and an existing Tianjin sports indoor stadium. The other sections are comprehensive and accomodation, which in total occupies an area of 966,000 square metres.