|

2025 China Sports Cities Index (CSCI) ranking. [Photo/WeChat account: sxfabu]

Shaoxing has been listed among the top 10 sports cities in China for 2025, according to the 2025 Global Sports City Index and 2025 China Sports Cities Index released at the 2025 International Symposium on Sports Management Graduate Education and the launch of the Global Sports Management Graduate Alliance at Shanghai University of Sport.

The index, now in its fourth year, ranks cities across the globe, with Paris, Los Angeles, London, New York, and Tokyo maintaining the top five positions. Paris rose from fourth to first following the successful 2024 Olympics. Among Chinese cities, Beijing (24th), Shanghai (26th), Hangzhou (46th), Chengdu (47th), and Hong Kong (49th) made the global top 50. Domestically, Shenzhen, Qingdao, Wuhan, Guangzhou, and Shaoxing ranked sixth to tenth, rounding out the top 10 Chinese sports cities.

Runners participate in the 2024 Shaoxing Marathon. [Photo/WeChat account: sxfabu]

Shaoxing differs from other cities that rely on top-level events plus regional linkages. As a co-host of the Hangzhou Asian Games, it successfully organized climbing, baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball, and football training events. In the post-Asian Games era, the city has pursued a small-city, large-event strategy to develop rapidly, aiming to become an international event destination.

Since 2024, Shaoxing has hosted the U-23 Baseball World Cup, National Baseball Champions Cup, and National Women's Softball Championship. It has also hosted international competitions including the IFSC World Cup and World Woodball Championship.

The Shaoxing Marathon saw over 70,000 registrations and 30,000 participants, generating an estimated 270 million yuan ($38.20 million) in direct economic and social benefits.

Players compete at the 2024 WBSC U-23 Baseball World Cup 2024 in Shaoxing. [Photo/WeChat account: sxfabu]