Overseas fans cheer for Rizhao football team

The 2026 FIFA World Cup may be grabbing global headlines, but football in Rizhao, Shandong province, is on fire, too. And the energy here? It has already won over some die-hard football fans from abroad.

That energy was on full display during a recent Qilu Football Super League match in the eighth round, as the Rizhao team took to their home pitch.

The home side delivered a strong performance, but the most memorable scenes weren't on the pitch — they were in the stands. Two foreign fans cheered alongside locals, chanting and matching their energy. By the final whistle, they had found something greater than a win — a new team to call their own.

This kind of passion wasn't built overnight. In recent years, Rizhao has hosted over 400 national and provincial-level sporting events, with more than 120 competitions scheduled for this year alone.

Beyond that, the city with a population of 2.9 million holds over 4,000 fitness activities annually, turning sport into a lifestyle and a shared social experience.

Matchday excitement isn't an exception here — it's part of the city's rhythm, woven into everyday life.