Dalian, a coastal city in Liaoning Province, is trying to position itself as a first choice destination for soccer enthusiasts.

On March 29, Dalian Yingbo team’s first home game in the new CSL season attracted 60,126 spectators, the second-highest in the league’s history. Before the match, the Dalian soccer Carnival’s inauguration took place right outside the Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium, the only professional soccer stadium in China surrounded by the sea on three sides. During the event, six themed areas came up around the stadium, offering a variety of activities for fans and tourists.

The activities seek to leverage Dalian’s identity as a “soccer city” to promote the integrated development of culture, sports, tourism, and commerce. Over the next two years, Dalian plans to develop diverse themed consumption sections to build the “Dalian soccer carnival” brand.