Why the 26th Shandong Province Sports Games lands in Linyi

In September 2022, Linyi officially received the official flag of The 26th Shandong Province Sports Games. For the first time, Shandong's top‑tier comprehensive sports gala is hosted in the old revolutionary Yimeng base. The honour comes not by chance, but as a natural outcome of Linyi's comprehensive strength and years‑long solid preparation.

Linyi's growing comprehensive capacity lays a solid foundation for hosting large‑scale events. Aiming to build a provincial sub‑center and march toward a trillion‑yuan GDP city, Linyi gives full play to its geographic and logistics advantages. Thirteen landmark industrial chains gain momentum. The city boasts 1.46 million market entities, ranking second in Shandong province. Its GDP hit 686.2 billion yuan last year, ranking fifth in Shandong and 21st among prefecture‑level cities nationwide. In the first half of 2026, local GDP rose by 5.6 percent, 0.9 percentage points higher than the national average.

Known as “China's Capital of Logistics”, Linyi possesses trillion‑level supply‑chain capacity. Its complete hospitality, warehousing and multi‑dimensional transport network integrating high‑speed railways, expressways and air routes can support massive flows of athletes, referees and spectators during the Games. Since receiving the host flag, Linyi has incorporated the Games into its municipal development strategy. The preparatory committee set up 20 special working departments, pushing forward every procedure from venue construction to food‑safety supervision with closed‑loop management.

Decades of practical experience in staging sports events further qualifies Linyi for this mission. The city has held more than 420 international, national and provincial tournaments, including the FIVB Men’s Volleyball Challenger Cup, CBA and WCBA matches. Linyi Olympic Sports Park earned its reputation as a “blessed venue for men's volleyball”, after China's national men's volleyball team claimed championship titles here.

Major hardware upgrades match its accumulated experience. Linyi Olympic Sports Park, covering 1,218 mu with a construction area of 495,000 square meters, is built to national Class‑A standards. Its main stadium features China’s largest single‑layer cable‑net roof. The gym supports flexible ice‑basketball conversion to satisfy diverse competition demands. Beyond the core park, 33 newly‑built or renovated competition venues are distributed across all 12 counties and districts of Linyi, many of which have passed real‑world tests in preliminary contests of the Games.

Cultural heritage represented by the Yimeng Spirit constitutes another vital advantage. Revolutionary cultural genes will be embedded in opening‑closing ceremonies, competitions and urban public atmosphere. The opening‑ceremony performance themed Chasing Dreams Amid Mountains and Seas: The Vibrant Yimeng interprets the Yimeng Spirit through a narrative spanning past, present and future, blending revolutionary heritage with modern sportsmanship.

More than 5,000 volunteers drawn from local universities, government institutions and social communities stand ready for service. They will deliver warm‑hearted services while inheriting and practising the Yimeng Spirit at competition sites.

After 76 years of relay across Shandong province, the provincial sports gala finally arrives in Linyi. Well‑prepared in both hardware and soft power, the old revolutionary base is set to deliver a remarkable edition of the Games.

Editor：韩蒙蒙