Chengdu Rongcheng Football Team, (still) the Hottest Ticket in Town!
With a new influx of new sports fanatics coming into Chengdu, we caught up with Andy McAuley to find out how, where and when to watch Chengdu Rongcheng.
How long have you been going to watch Chengdu Rongcheng matches?
I’ve been a regular since Chengdu Rongcheng got promoted to the Chinese Super League in 2022. I attend nearly every home game and try to go to at least five away games per season. There are about 10 expats who go to every home game together as members of the Red Blades Ultras.
We know that the Chinese Super League used to have big stars but how is it now?
Now there is a salary cap for foreign players so the days of Drogba, Tevez, Oscar and other big-name stars are gone. I think the league is better for it to be honest. Several teams in the league have an average attendance of over 40,000. It’s not always been fashionable to follow CSL teams but there is a growing sense of pride from locals who now want to support their local team.
How is the season going so far?
Well before the season even started we were red-hot favourites. 8 out of 16 teams got hit with point deductions due to historical match fixing, so our closest rivals all started the season with -5 to -10 points. We’re nearing the halfway point of the season 14 points clear at the top of the table. 11 wins and 1 draw from our opening 13 games, can’t ask for much more than that.
Who are your favourite players?
I’m a fan of 胡荷韜, a rapid young fullback who is also a starter for the national team. 杨明洋 is an favourite of mine too. He’s an energetic defensive midfielder who always gives 110%. Our new signing Wellington Silva has been excellent so far, and I must mention the big man up front, Filipe, who scored overhead kicks in consecutive games this season against Shenhua and Liaoning.
How do you buy tickets?
Tickets normally go on sale 2 days before the match. The only official source is the Chengdu Rongcheng WeChat mini app. Their system doesn’t accept passport numbers so foreigners must contact the club customer service and ask them to manually input your details. Buying a ticket can be a frustrating process. The app crashes often due to the sheer number of people trying to buy tickets and every match sells out almost immediately. Try to grab one at the exact time they go on sale, you might get lucky.
Are there any other methods people can use to snag tickets?
Like most big events, tickets inevitably find their way into the hands of scalpers. The normal going rate is 200-300 for a 100rmb electronic ticket but can be a lot more depending on the match. The club have at least tried to restrict ticket touts but it’s impossible to stop. The first step is registering your details on the Rongcheng mini app so best deal with that before thinking about anything else.
How is the match day experience inside and outside the stadium?
Outside there are lots of food and drinks vendors so it’s nice to get there early and have a few pre-match beers. Inside the stadium I think the atmosphere will honestly surprise most newcomers. Every match has approximately 42,000 fans and there are several singing sections / ultras groups. The Red Blades is just one such group and they have 4000 members. Best to go on metro line 5 as the traffic nearby can be hectic.
What big games are coming up?
I’m going to Dalian away on Saturday so looking forward to that one! Next two home games are important ones. Shandong on May 30th, who are one of the traditionally stronger teams in the league. Then we have local rivals Chongqing visiting on July 11th. The atmosphere for that game will be electric, but the tickets will be especially hard to get. I won’t be surprised if those tickets are going for x10 face value.
