Over 125,000 fans visit across two games and two training sessions, as sports economy grows
Italian giants Juventus brought the curtain down on a spectacular Hong Kong Football Festival 2026 on Wednesday, and brought a crowd of 43,575 fans to their collective feet with a 1-0 victory over Chelsea that saw the Bianconeri lift The Herbalgy Trophy at Kai Tak Stadium. It took a moment of sheer brilliance from Juventus star Edon Zhegrova to separate the two teams as he curled a left-footed swinger in from just outside the area on 68 minutes after an impressive string of passing from the Italians. Chelsea then threw everything they had at their rivals as the clock wound down but they couldn’t find a way through the defence.
For manager Luciano Spalletti, the trip to Hong Kong ticked all the right boxes, on and off the pitch. “When you come to experience new places like this, there are always many things to learn,” said Spalletti. “If we talk about Hong Kong, it is among the cities that lead the world in many things. Whenever you go to a new place, you always have new things to learn. As for the workload for the football tonight, we had a very strong team in front of us. So we really needed to show that we had a great mentality, the mentality of a team. We all need to contribute in order to be able to win this match.” Both clubs showed the serious side of the preseason preparations by packing their starting line-ups with stars, included among them Chelsea’s marquee signings Danny Welbeck and Geovany Quenda. The intensity of some early challenges also showed they meant business with their new seasons just weeks away.
Welbeck’s early link-up play with Joao Pedro must have delighted new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso but it was Juve who came closest to scoring during an intense first half. Both sides rang in the changes at the half, with Juventus substitute Kenan Yıldız in particular finding holes in the Chelsea defence,eventually finding one that led to Zhegrova, and the winner. Juventus’ win capped a week-long celebration of world-class international football at Kai Tak Stadium that also showcased everything Hong Kong has to offer as one of the planet’s foremost international sporting and tourism destinations.
Restaurants, cafes and shops inside the Kai Tak Malls that surround Kai Tak Sports Park reported huge rises in traffic flow over the past week as fans from across the globe made the most of an event that has quickly established itself on the global sporting calendar. “It's been a great experience,” said Chelsea manager Alonso. “Hong Kong gave us a great welcome, it’s a great city, and we have enjoyed coming here.”
The players themselves were also busy all week long across social media channels, engaging with fans and with posts showcasing their visits to some of Hong Kong’s most popular attractions, among them Ocean Park and the famous trams that have served the city since 1904.
The HKFF action kicked off with the Asahi Super Dry Trophy last Saturday – the silverware lifted by reigning Italian Serie A champions FC Internazionale Milano (Inter) 3-1 on penalties over Manchester City after the game had ended 1-1 in regular time. Over 90,000 fans witnessed their heroes up close over the two games, while attendance overall crested 125,000 thanks to Open Training sessions held by both Chelsea and City.
“Hong Kong’s fans have once again showcased to the world the passion they have for top-level football,” said Ms. Rachael Carroll, Managing Director of promoter TEG Sport. “There has been a buzz around the city all week as these historic clubs and their international stars have been embraced wherever they have gone. Hospitality is one of the things Hong Kong does best and the city and its football fans have once again risen to the occasion. We are proud to have partnered with the city to bring the Hong Kong Football Festival back for a second year – and can’t wait to start putting plans in place for 2027.”
The HKFF has across two editions established itself as a major highlight of Hong Kong’s annual international sporting calendar, with around HK$437 million (US$56 million) in economic value generated across the 2025 edition. The Hong Kong Football Festival is proudly supported by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, The Government of Hong Kong.
The Presenting Partner for the match between Chelsea and Juventus is Herbalgy and the Bank of China is the banking partner, Trip.com is the Official Travel Experience Partner, and the Official Broadcaster is HOY TV. Supporting partners for the match include the Hong Kong Tourism Board and The Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA). Hong Kong Football Festival is proud of being an “M” Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia’s sports event capital. The “M” Mark is awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolising intense, spectacular and signature events in the territory sports calendar.