Can’t get tickets to watch CSL and ACL champions Guangzhou Evergrande? Not interested in Guangzhou R&F’s attempt to qualify for the ACL for the first time? Then give watching China League One side Guangdong Sunray Cave a try. Read on for ‘s guide.
Guangdong Sunray Cave have played in many stadiums across Guangzhou, Dongguan and Foshan in their short but nomadic history and this year call Huangpu Stadium home. In the east of Guangzhou, its two stands seat 12,000 people with the west stand reserved for the home fans; of whom there are generally around 2,000. Only away fans are allowed into the East stand which must make them the best protected support in all of China although numbers in this stand fluctuate from four people to almost four hundred.
If you missed the 100RMB season tickets you’ll need to buy a 20RMb single ticket on the day
Buying tickets
There is no need to pre-book tickets online or over the phone as even for the Guangdong derby with Shenzhen Ruby the ground is unlikely to sell out. On match day tickets can be bought for 20 kuai from the official stall just outside the west stand or from touts who hang around in the car park of the ground.
Getting to Huangpu Stadium
Huangpu stadium is a ten minute walk north of Dasha East metro station which is almost at the Eastern end of line 5. The ground is also reachable by bus (including 240, 506, 513) and there is a small bus terminal across the road to the south of the ground; look for buses heading to 黄埔体育中心 (huangpu tiyu zhongxin). If driving the stadium also has on-site parking.
In and around Huangpu Stadium
As elsewhere in China, bags will be searched before entry and water bottles confiscated. The security guards will watch over them though and you can return to drink from them at half time before picking them up on the way out after the game. The central section of the stand is reserved for youth team members, a small number of press and the WAGS of both teams whilst the home ultras stand on the left of this.
Buying Souvenirs
Programmes covering several matches (see picture above) are available monthly but unless you want to splash out on an official replica shirt from the stall selling tickets you’ll come away empty handed. Don’t be surprised to see many people wearing Guangzhou Evergrande or Guangzhou R&F shirts as even some of the leaders of the ultras seem to consider Sunray their ‘second team’.
Looking across to the home stand at Sunray Cave’s Huangpu Stadium
Upcoming fixtures
Sunray Cave generally play at 4pm on either Saturday or Sunday, their next home game is scheduled to be on 23rd August against Wuhan and the Guangdong derby with Shenzhen Ruby on the 5th of October, assuming Shenzhen are still around. Check the Sunray Cave weibo and that of their fan group in the week before the game to confirm.
For a guide to watching Beijing Guoan play at Gongti click here
For a guide to watching Guangzhou R&F play at Yuexiushan click here
For a guide to watching Shanghai East Asia play at Shanghai Stadium click here
by Donald Ross
