Photo: Lu Wenao/GT

A total of 62,291 spectators braved the sticky heat at Beijing's Workers' Stadium to watch the Chinese Super League match between Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Shenhua on Saturday night, setting a new attendance record of the league in 2025 season.

Shenhua defeated Guoan 3-1 away from home, handing Guoan their first home defeat of the 2025 season. 

The result sees Shenhua climb to the top of the 16-team league with 41 points after 17 rounds, while Guoan now sit in second place with 38 points.

Trailing by two goals just 21 minutes into the match thanks to Shenhua's new signing Luis Asue and captain Wu Xi — Guoan failed to equalize, despite Portuguese midfielder Guga of Guoan pulling one back in the 26th minute.

Veteran Yu Hanchao of Shenhua netted another goal for the visiting team in the extra time. 

The game was highly anticipated ahead of the match as tickets sold out in less than two minutes when they went on sale available on July 13, local media Beijing Daily reported. 

Giant tifos celebrating Beijing's local culture, featuring figures like the mythological youthful deity Ne Zha and referencing the traditional epithet "Eight-armed Ne Zha City" -- an old name for Beijing, were displayed in the stadium ahead of the match.

The previous league record of 61,185 spectators in 2025 season was set at the Dalian Suoyuwan Stadium on May 5, when CSL newcomers Dalian Yingbo hosted Guoan.

The all-time attendance record for a football match held in China was set in March 2025 when 70,588 fans packed Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center Stadium to watch the Chinese national team face Australia in a World Cup Asian qualifying match in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province.