Jing–Hu rivalry

For most of the history of Chinese football, it was difficult for teams to establish deep connections with residents of the cities they are based in. From the 1950s to 1990s, the Danwei system of employment, which was the source of employment and material support for the majority of urban residents, restricted people’s interaction with broader social organizations. In the same period, domestic games were not played on a regular home-and-away basis but took place only in major cities, resulting in difficulties for fans to access stadiums and games. It was not until the emergence of the professional Chinese league in the 1990s that the national broadcaster, China Central Television, started to broadcast games publicly, further preventing the build-up of club identity in the early days of Chinese football.^[2]

Beijing Guoan and Shanghai Shenhua would prove to be different than most Chinese clubs. People in both cities initially engaged with football as early as the 1890s, when the YMCA introduced the game to China’s largest cities at the time. The various precursors of the two clubs were involved in national tournaments in the newly established People’s Republic of China beginning in the 1950s. When the Jia-A League, the first professional Chinese football league, was established in 1994, both Guoan and Shenhua, having been organized in 1992 and 1993 respectively, were founding members. Neither club moved cities or suffered relegation in the years since, creating strong foundations for local support and a rich competitive history.^[2]

When professionalisation first occurred, most fans' connections to their respective clubs were casual as they watched the games for entertainment. However, as time progressed, supporters of both clubs developed a deep connection with their teams, and the teams became firmly established locally. Guoan became the team for Beijing, and Shenhua became the team for Shanghai. Shanghai Port, another Shanghai team that plays in the Chinese Super League, is not afforded the same status by locals as it was established only in 2005 and is perceived to lack a strong identity and connection with the city. In 2014, when Shenhua’s then owner, the Greenland Group, attempted to change the club’s name, six major Shenhua supporters’ organizations protested the change and forced the name “Shenhua” to remain, showcasing the strong connection between the club, its fans, and Shanghai.^[2]

Today, the match between the two clubs is considered by fans of both teams to be the most important of the season. Victories and losses between the teams carry significance beyond just football and are seen as a competition between the two cities in which the teams are based directly, with Beijing being the capital of China and Shanghai being the nation’s most populous city and an economic hub. As a result, each encounter between the two sides becomes a focal point in the media, and is sometimes compared to El Clásico in Spain.^[3][4] The intensity of competition on the field between players from both sides is often very high, and the matches themselves receive significant attention from fans.^[5] Physical conflicts and confrontations off the field are also reported.^[6] Most of Shenhua's attendance records in their home stadiums were achieved when they hosted Guoan, and vice versa. Some Guoan fans say, "Without Guoan, there's no Shenhua; without Shenhua, there's no Guoan. These are the only two teams in China that deserve the title of a national derby." Shenhua fans, on the other hand, say, "Shenhua and Guoan are arch-rivals, but neither can do without the other. Without each other's presence in the league, it would be so boring."^[7]

As of 19 July 2025