PSG Park opens in Shanghai in efforts to find the 'Chinese Neymar' | OneFootball

PSG continue to expand around the globe in their never-ending quest to unearth potential hidden talent.

The PSG Park, the French champions’ first fan experience zone in China, is located in the Xuhui District and contains indoor football pitches surrounded with glass complete with FIFA-approved artificial turf. In addition, there are many rooftop fields, a merchandise store, and a club-themed restaurant and bar to view matches.

The newly-crowned French league champions have an estimated 55 million fans worldwide. According to Sebastien Wasel, the club’s Asia Pacific managing director, a whopping one-third of the fans are from Asia, with about 1.5 million of those in China.

“We have been expanding PSG’s influence among Chinese fans since 2011 and it has already become the best followed French club in China.”

Fabien Allegre, PSG’s merchandising and brand diversification director, called Shanghai the “most European city” as the reason for choosing to place the Park there.

“We chose Shanghai as the first Chinese city to set up the park because it is the ‘most European city’ in China,” he told Chinese newspaper Shine, “We will wait for fan feedback and decide whether to build more parks elsewhere in China.

The Qatar-owned club recently opened an Asia Pacific office in Singapore and have activated many football projects in China.

“We are planning a grassroots football project in Shandong Province. Training courses will be organised for amateur young players in Shandong. There will also be a five-year elite project to produce professional players. Perhaps we will be able to find China’s Neymar through the project.”

PSG has also sponsored a Chinese e-sports team to take part in Dota 2 competitions in their quest to expand their influence amongst the younger generation.