China News Service, Hangzhou, February 8 (Guo Tianqi) On the 8th, Zhejiang Professional Football Club officially announced that in the 2024 season, the Zhejiang team’s home court will return to the Zhejiang Huanglong Sports Center in Hangzhou. For many old fans, the return of the Zhejiang team to their long-awaited "old home court" has awakened the football memories of a generation of fans. This return is also another "New Year's gift" given by the Zhejiang team to countless fans on the occasion of the New Year.
The picture shows the official announcement poster. Photo provided by the official WeChat public account of Zhejiang Professional Football Club
Huanglong Sports Center is the first large-scale comprehensive sports venue in Zhejiang Province. Since its completion in 2000, it has been one of the landmark buildings in Hangzhou. It has not only hosted various major domestic and foreign sports competitions, but also played an important role in mass sports, youth training, sports industry, etc. In this aspect, it is also at the forefront of the country.
Since the League B in 2001, the Zhejiang team has played in the Huanglong Sports Center for 19 seasons. Here, all fans have witnessed the ups and downs of the team, the joy of success in reaching the Super League, and the glory of competing in the AFC Champions League. Huanglong Sports Center has left countless beautiful memories for the team and fans.
The Huanglong Sports Center, built more than 20 years ago, has accompanied the growth and progress of the Zhejiang team, recorded the changes in the city of Hangzhou, and witnessed the development of Zhejiang sports. On December 18, 2019, in order to host the Hangzhou Asian Games, the Huanglong Sports Center launched a comprehensive venue renovation project. For this reason, the Zhejiang team also moved its home court to the Huzhou Olympic Sports Center from the 2020 season to the 2023 season.
After two years of upgrading and transformation, the Huanglong Sports Center has been completely renovated and has achieved "three major improvements" in venue image, facilities and services. Its stadium lawn uses the world's leading anchored lawn system and is equipped with two upper and lower ring screens. During the Asian Games, Huanglong Sports Center brilliantly presented 11 high-level football matches and received rave reviews.
The Zhejiang team, which is about to return to the Huanglong Sports Center, not only returned to the Chinese Super League, but also won the third place in the Chinese Super League in the 2022 and 2023 seasons, qualified for the AFC Champions League for two consecutive seasons, and also won the runner-up in the Football Association Cup. In the three major competitions of the Champions League and the Football Association Cup, they all created the best results in the club's history.
Today, the brand-new Huanglong Sports Center and the Zhejiang team, which has repeatedly achieved great results, have achieved a "two-way journey." In a new season and a new journey, the Zhejiang team, which has returned to its "old home court", will continue to work hard for more glory for Zhejiang football. Hangzhou fans will once again enjoy exciting football matches "at their doorstep". (over)