The Shanghai Municipal Government has issued an action plan for 2026-2028 to develop a high-quality sports event economy. It aims to create one to two world-class Shanghai event brands, cultivate internationally capable organizers, and establish a consumption ecosystem friendly to all times and demographics. Targets include cumulative participation of over 10 million in national-level and above events, over 30 million in mass sports events, and an economic impact exceeding RMB 100 billion.
FIFA announced the transformation of its Forward Project into a commercial entity, FIFA Forward Enterprise, and the sale of a 21% stake for $4.2 billion at a $20 billion valuation. The funds will increase grants to member associations from $8 million to $20 million per cycle starting 2027. FIFA President Gianni Infantino is set to become CEO of the new enterprise after his term, with an annual salary exceeding $60 million. The plan has drawn criticism from UEFA and the English FA for lack of transparency and bypassing governance structures.
China's National Sports Administration has issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Sporting Powerhouse, the first national special plan on the theme, setting five key targets for 2030, including total sports industry scale exceeding RMB 7 trillion. The plan supports multi-sport events since summer 2026. In the 2025 City Football League, 85 matches drew 2.43 million spectators, with 95.9% of attendees making extra purchases, as a RMB 1 ticket generated RMB 7.3 in related spending. In May 2026, the Northeast Super League became China's first cross-provincial city football league.