Shanghai Olympic Stadium

Shanghai Olympic Stadium, the second-largest in scale stadium with the most advanced facilities in China, is hosting football preliminaries in Beijing Olympics 2008. Shanghai Stadium has the world's longest cantilevered steel truss roof structure with fabric canopy and span of 300 meters. The stadium was originally built in 1997. It has been refurbished for organizing football preliminaries. After the Beijing National Stadium, this is the second largest stadium in China. It is also considered one of the premiere football stadiums in the world.

Architecture
The stadium makes a profound visual impression. It meets all the functional and technical requirements of an Olympic National Stadium, and is designed as per the directives of International Olympic Committee (IOC). All structural elements mutually support each other and converge into a grid-like formation, in which facades, stairs and the roof are integrated. The spacious ambulatory encircles the stands. The lobby has been made more useful with restaurants and stores that invite visitors to make a visit. The stands evoke the image of a bowl.

Facilities
Visitors will be able to send pictures of Olympic soccer games taken at Shanghai Stadium to anyone in the world through a wireless network. A large display screen has been installed which will provide a clear view of the happening on the field. The spectators stand has been designed to provide clear view of the ground. It is equipped with all necessary facilities to make the stay in the stadium a comfortable experience.

Pre Olympics Events
The Stadium played host to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Promotional Concert Tour. Prior to it, a great number of sports events, concerts, exhibitions or fairs are held in the stadium from time to time, bringing in both local citizens as well as foreign visitors.