Fall in Love with Event-Driven Shopping, Enjoy a Trip to Yongzhou

Recently, the 2026 CMG Mass Football Invitational Tournament is underway in Yongzhou, Hunan. While the matches are heating up inside the stadium, the area around Yongzhou Sports Stadium has also become a hotspot—crowds of fans and tourists gather here to check in, take photos, and buy merchandise, creating a veritable “shopping frenzy.”

Street-side shops are seeing brisk business, with beverages, snacks, and fan merchandise flying off the shelves. One shop owner joked, “We've been nonstop these past few days—it feels like the New Year celebrations started early!” This tournament, centered around grassroots football, has not only ignited the city's passion for sports but also boosted consumer activity across the region.

A closer look at the consumption scene surrounding the event reveals spontaneous market energy and ingenuity everywhere. Businesses rolled out ticket-based discounts and limited-time special offers; hotels and restaurants launched themed services to attract visitors; local cultural brands seized the opportunity to release commemorative products; and pop-up markets emerged along streets and alleys. Together, these market-driven initiatives vividly demonstrate the intrinsic momentum unleashed by the “tournament economy.”

This wave of excitement has spread beyond the urban core into surrounding counties. Recently in Dong'an County, an exchange delegation from Yancheng, Jiangsu, joined tourists in exploring the ancient streets of Luhongshi Town, immersing themselves in the “Long Street Banquet,” a traditional communal feast, and local folk culture.

Leveraging the popularity and attention generated by the tournament, various areas across Yongzhou have combined their unique natural landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and distinctive cuisine to launch a series of carefully designed themed experiences and consumer incentive measures during the event period. While enjoying the thrill of football competition, spectators are also venturing into different localities to experience the region’s deep cultural roots and distinctive charm.