Published by ChinaMNC · Xinzhou

China Opens Sports Events to Foreign Investment and Operation: What Founders Need to Know

China's State Council has issued new guidelines to develop its sports events sector, creating opportunities for foreign founders in event organization, licensing, and related services. Here is a practical overview of the key measures and how to navigate them.

China's New Sports Event Guidelines: Opportunities for Foreign Founders

China's State Council has issued a set of opinions aimed at developing the sports events sector to stimulate consumption and foster new economic growth drivers. For foreign founders, this signals new openings in event organization, licensing, and related services. Below is a practical guide to the key measures and what they mean for your China operations.

1. Expanding the Range of Sports Events

The guidelines call for enriching competitive sports events, publishing an annual national sports event plan, and supporting qualified localities to host or co-host events. Existing national comprehensive games and single-sport events will continue, with efforts to enhance their brand influence. For foreign founders, this means more opportunities to partner with local organizers or provide services for these events.

2. Professional Leagues and Foreign Investment

A tiered professional event system will be developed, with improved classification standards and better linkages between professional and amateur events. The guidelines explicitly encourage investment from domestic and foreign high-quality capital in various professional events. Key sports include football, basketball, volleyball, table tennis, badminton, ice hockey, baseball, and Go, with support for high-level professional events in tennis, sailing, boxing, billiards, motorsports, and cycling. Foreign founders can consider investing in or creating new professional events, as well as engaging in talent training, brokerage services, and market development.

3. Amateur and Traditional Events

Localities are encouraged to develop distinctive amateur events with cultural and resource characteristics, involving social forces. Traditional sports events will be promoted, and emerging trend sports will be developed in an orderly manner. The youth sports event system will be improved to expand the participant base. Foreign founders with expertise in event management, coaching, or youth training may find partnership opportunities.

4. International Cooperation and Facilitation

China will strengthen communication with international sports organizations, coordinate the introduction of high-level international events, and support qualified localities to host them. Measures to facilitate foreign participation include improving visa and customs convenience for participants and spectators, and encouraging dedicated entry-exit channels. Domestic brand events are encouraged to go global, expand overseas sponsorship, and explore media rights markets. Foreign founders can leverage these provisions to bring international events to China or help Chinese events expand abroad.

5. Integration with Culture, Tourism, and Commerce

The guidelines promote the integration of sports events with culture and tourism. This includes hosting ethnic and folk traditional sports events, utilizing landmarks and creative districts for immersive experiences, and showcasing rural scenery and cultural heritage. Cultural products such as films, short videos, and music with sports themes are encouraged, along with branded activities like "Travel with Events" and "Enjoy Events, Taste Chinese Food." For foreign founders, this opens avenues in event-related tourism, cultural products, and hospitality.

In commerce, support is given to international consumption center cities and pilot cities for sports consumption and event economy to host major international events. The "event + expo" model will be optimized, and commercial brands can launch co-branded and derivative products through event licensing. Commercial complexes and business districts are encouraged to introduce events, with merchants offering exclusive discounts for ticket holders. The scale of event services trade, including event tourism, sponsorship, and copyright transactions, will be expanded.

6. Technology and Innovation

Enterprises are encouraged to innovate services and products around events, including ice and snow equipment, smart wearables, and high-performance sports flooring. New technologies such as IoT, big data, AI, digital twins, and satellite navigation will be applied in event organization to enhance viewing experiences. Foreign tech founders can explore partnerships in these areas, but should ensure compliance with relevant regulations.

7. Consumption Scenarios and Experience

Pilot programs for sports consumption and event economy will be deepened, with support for cities piloting new consumption formats to expand event consumption functions. Localities will create "second viewing venues" and themed accommodation and dining experiences. One-stop event information services integrating schedules, venues, transport, and weather will be promoted. Multilingual signage, guides, and payment services for overseas spectators will be improved. Foreign founders in hospitality, retail, and tech can tap into these developments.

8. Business Environment and Market Entities

The guidelines aim to cultivate competitive and specialized event operators, supporting enterprises in culture, media, fitness, equipment manufacturing, and tech innovation to participate in event hosting and operation. Copyright order for event broadcasts will be maintained, and event rights holders can cooperate with media and platforms for revenue through broadcasting rights and sponsorship. Localities may introduce incentive policies for event attraction, scenario innovation, and employment, subject to national regulations.

Venue facilities will be improved, including public fitness facilities, outdoor sports destinations, and smart upgrades to venues. Talent development is emphasized: universities may offer sports economics and management, event management, and sports tourism programs; new professions like sports data analysts and venue safety officers will be cultivated; and foreign experts in international event operation and management are encouraged to be introduced.

9. Standards, Monitoring, and Service Management

Standards for event organization, venue facilities, and equipment will be strengthened, with group and industry standards potentially转化为 national standards. Monitoring of event-driven consumption will be deepened, with data sharing among sports, commerce, culture, tourism, customs, tax, and statistics departments. Service management will be optimized: public resources like mountains, forests, and roads will be opened for events under a negative list approach; "one-stop" approval services will be expanded; security capacity will be classified and marketized; and financial institutions are encouraged to develop event-related products and insurance.

10. Governance and Safety

Event governance will be strengthened, with assessments for hosting events, green and simple organization, and management of high-risk events. Comprehensive measures will address misconduct and fan culture issues. Safety will be enhanced through emergency response systems, early warnings, a "circuit breaker" mechanism, and strict fire safety and crowd control measures.

Next Steps for Foreign Founders

These guidelines indicate a more open and structured approach to sports events in China. Foreign founders should monitor local implementation policies and consider partnerships with qualified local entities. For assistance with company registration, licensing, and compliance in China's sports event sector, contact ChinaMNC on WhatsApp / WeChat at +86 153 1898 8535.

This summary is based on information published by the relevant Chinese government website and is general information, not legal or tax advice.