Chongqing - Half an hour after the final whistle, the stands were still half full. Some fans held up phones, others unfurled banners, posing against the glowing silhouette of Longxing Football Stadium. Traffic crawled slowly along the roads outside.

It was October 11, and Chongqing Tonglianglong had just drawn 1-1 with Shandong Taishan in the club's 10th and final home match of the 2026 Chinese Super League season at Longxing. A victory would have been a fitting farewell. It was not to be. "It's a pity we couldn't say goodbye to Longxing with a win," the club wrote on its official account afterward. "But we will always remember the perseverance and companionship throughout the season."

In the 2026 Chinese Super League season, Longxing Football Stadium hosted 10 home matches for Chongqing Tonglianglong. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

For a newly promoted side playing its first top-flight campaign, the numbers tell a remarkable story. Across 10 home matches, Longxing Football Stadium drew more than 400,000 spectators, averaging over 40,000 per game and placing the club among the league's attendance leaders. The 60,000-capacity stadium is Chongqing's first professional football venue.

The season opened on March 14 with 43,423 fans watching Tonglianglong beat Liaoning Tieren 1-0 for the club's first-ever CSL victory. A week later, 55,868 spectators saw the team fight back from 0-2 down to draw 3-3 with Chengdu Rongcheng, as a giant dragon-shaped TIFO unfurled in the south stand.

On March 21, 2026, Chongqing Tonglianglong hosted Chengdu Rongcheng at Longxing Football Stadium, with an electric atmosphere. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

Attendance exceeded 50,000 four more times, peaking at 56,246 for a May 30 match against Beijing Guoan - a stadium record. "The south stand at Longxing has become one of the most recognizable supporters' sections in the CSL," said Liu Chongfei, head of the Chongqing Brothers United Supporters' Club.

The stadium also served the national team. In June 2025, China beat Bahrain 1-0 here in their final World Cup qualifier, with 51,236 fans in attendance. Four international friendlies in September and October 2026 drew another 72,000.

But Longxing is not only a football ground. It has hosted concerts and music festivals, and for many residents it functions as a multi-purpose public space - a place to run, shop, or spend an afternoon with family.

On June 11, 2026, workers operated specialized equipment to clear old turf at Longxing Football Stadium. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

The broader economic effects have rippled into the surrounding area. On match days, families arrive early to eat and shop at Longxing Ancient Town or the nearby Longxing Tianjie commercial district before walking to the stadium. A pickled mustard greens chicken restaurant about 800 meters from the ground has served the area for over a decade. "On match days, it's often hard to get a table," a staff member said. "We hope there will be more and more matches."

On match days, Longxing Football Stadium draws large crowds of fans. (Photo/Chongqing Daily)

The local government is investing in that vision. According to Linkong Culture and Tourism Company, the ancient town is introducing new businesses to turn "watching a match" into "strolling an old street, having a meal, and spending a weekend." Out-of-town visitors increasingly combine football with trips to Longxing Ancient Town, Liangjiang International Film City, and Mingyue Lake.

Challenges remain. Parking around the stadium is still a pain point, and the operator plans to develop nearby vacant land for additional spaces. Off-season utilization is another priority, with efforts underway to build the venue into a year-round cultural and tourism destination.

For now, though, the stadium has already done something harder to measure. It has given Chongqing a new weekend ritual - one that begins in the afternoon with a meal and a walk, ends under floodlights, and leaves the roads outside crowded with cars well past midnight.