Best Sports Venues in Beijing

A swimming, diving and water polo venue for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, this architectural wonder has 6000 permanent seats. It is known as the "Water Cube" for its striking exterior appearance, which is not only visually stunning, but functional as well. Special membrane technology coating the building utilizes more solar power and less energy, while the interior is equally stunning and environmentally conscious, particularly because the pool water is recycled. Since the Olympics, the center has hosted a variety of major swimming and diving competitions. The center is also home to a water park, and supports a swimming club and several performing arts programs.

Built for the 1990 Asian Games, the Olympic Sports Center Stadium is set within the Olympic Sports Centre complex. It underwent a major re-haul for the Summer Olympics in 2008. However despite its flexibility, it is primarily a football stadium with many matches held here much to the delight of fans in the city.

Beijing Tennis Center is a prominent tennis location that hosts international matches and most notably the women's matches of the China Open every year. The square-shaped stadium can seat 10,000 spectators and the blue hard court is one of the most famed tennis strips of the city. Most international singles players consider it a privilege to play at this venue. Call for information on match details.

Formerly known as the Wukesong Arena and one of the many locations of the Beijing 2008 Olympics, this spacious venue is still just as popular for international headliners and sports leagues alike. The MasterCard Center plays host to some of the best entertainment in China, from NBA China games, concerts like Beyonce and the Backstreet Boys, and special events. Upheld to international standards, this state-of-the-art venue is sure to wow and impress.

This architectural wonder was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and is aptly nicknamed the 'Bird's Nest'. The inner seating bowl is encompassed by a seemingly random mesh of crisscrossing beams, designed to disguise those that support the stadium's retractable roof, leading to its nest-like appearance. With space enough to accommodate a whopping 91,000 fans, the stadium now hosts a variety of events, from live performances and concerts, to sports and much more. The vast arena has quickly become a symbol of Beijing's cosmopolitan spirit and modern outlook.

This high tech venue was built to host gymnastics and handball events for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. The 80,900-square meter (8,70,800 square feett) building features a "glass curtain" wall which conceals over 1000 photovoltaic solar panels which help provide renewable energy for the building. The National Indoor Stadium is an unmatched venue for sporting events and competitions, and cultural functions as well. This venue plays host to various sporting and other interesting events making it a must visit while in the city.

The Capital Indoor Stadium, originally built in 1968, was renovated in 2001 for the World University Games, and again in 2006 as a volleyball venue for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. The stadium can hold 18,000 spectators and covers an area of 54,600 square meters (587,700 square feet). The stadium also bears an ice-skating rink under the movable planks. This stadium has been incredibly built into a modern bait for sports lovers. The stadium is capable of hosting numerous sporting events, including badminton, basketball and gymnastics, not to mention ice sports such as skating and hockey.

This stadium, first opened in 1959, can hold 80,000 spectators in the stands and 1500 athletes in the 300 rooms beneath the grandstand. One of its early functions was to host the First National Sports Meet of the People's Republic of China, and in recent years it has seen all manner of sporting and cultural events, including pop concerts. International and domestic soccer matches and other sporting events are regularly held, and the stadium was revamped for the purpose of hosting some football (soccer, to Americans) matches during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.