Beijing: Beijing has been recognized as the world’s leading sports event city, according to a report released Wednesday during an academic symposium on “Sports and Urban Development” at the Olympic Museum.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the Leading International Sports Event Cities Influence Index 2025 lists Beijing, the first city to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, alongside Berlin, Doha, New York, Shanghai, Sydney, Paris, London, Tokyo, and Los Angeles as leading international sports event cities.
Shi Fenghua, deputy director general of the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports, stated that the city has utilized its Olympic legacy to establish itself as a “Dual-Olympic City of International Sports Events,” fostering the development of the sports sector.
Paul Downward, a professor at Loughborough University, told Xinhua that Beijing’s unique achievement of hosting both Olympic Games positions it within a global trend where sports events are utilized for social and economic development. He noted that China’s Olympic accomplishments offer an opportunity to enhance national pride and well-being.
The index, developed by Xinhua Indices Institute, evaluates global sports event cities based on sport DNA, event hosting capability, sports industry ecosystem, and global connectivity. Cities were assessed using criteria such as industrial scale, event level, urban development, and international influence.