FEB 26 (V7N) - Beijing has officially been recognized as the world's leading sports event city, according to the Leading International Sports Event Cities Influence Index 2025. The announcement was made during an academic symposium on "Sports and Urban Development" at the Olympic Museum, where Beijing topped a prestigious list that includes global hubs like New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo. This ranking solidifies the city's status as a global athletic powerhouse and a model for urban sporting integration.

As the first city in history to host both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games, Beijing occupies a unique position in the sporting world. Local officials from the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports noted that they have purposefully leveraged this "Dual-Olympic" legacy to create a high-quality ecosystem for international events. This strategy has successfully transformed historical venues into permanent hubs for both professional competition and public fitness, driving the development of the city’s sports sector.

The ranking was determined by the Xinhua Indices Institute using a systematic evaluation framework based on four key pillars: a city’s "Sport DNA," its technical hosting capability, the health of its integrated sports industry, and its global connectivity. To ensure representativeness, cities were screened across multiple criteria, including industrial scale, the prestige level of events hosted, and their overall international influence and urban development.

Academic experts, including Professor Paul Downward from Loughborough University, highlighted that Beijing’s success reflects a broader global trend where nations use major sporting events to catalyze social and economic progress. He emphasized that China’s sustained Olympic success provides a distinct opportunity to enhance national pride and community well-being. This "sports-first" approach to urban planning has allowed Beijing to maintain a vibrant, year-round competitive atmosphere.

The city's 2026 calendar already reflects this top-tier status, with several major international competitions scheduled. Earlier this year, Beijing hosted the ISU Figure Skating Four Continents Championships, and looking forward, the city is set to welcome over 1,000 world-class athletes for the World Aquatics Swimming Championships (25m) in December. Additionally, the city continues to host flagship mass-participation events, such as the upcoming Beijing Half Marathon in April, which will celebrate its 70th anniversary.

By fostering an ecosystem that blends traditional sports with innovative new formats—such as the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Games—Beijing continues to expand the boundaries of what a sports city can be. This top global ranking serves as a benchmark for other cities aiming to use sports as a tool for international connectivity and high-quality urban growth, ensuring Beijing remains a focal point for the global sporting community for years to come.

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