Shanghai’s e-sports scene reached a new milestone on the evening of May 12 as the HUYA Shanghai Performance Center in Putuo District held its first test event – a 2026 League of Legends Pro League (LPL) second-stage regular season group match between iG and BLG.
Located in the MTR E-sports Industrial Park, which is being built as a flagship project by the Putuo District government, the venue marks the first LPL team-owned home stadium operated in Shanghai. The industrial park sits at 1026 Caoyang Road and consists of three buildings, two of which are connected in an L-shape to form the main body of the HUYA Shanghai Performance Center. The minimalist white architecture blends a futuristic tech aesthetic with modern design.
The entire park has a total floor area of about 9,000 square meters, with the performance center itself occupying approximately 5,000 square meters and featuring 800 seats.
According to the operator, the ground floor of the venue will house a co-branded WanYoo Esports x iG store, a "Riftbound" themed shop, and an iG team merchandise store. Following the soft launch, the center will continue to host LPL matches while also expanding to other e-sports tournaments and live performances. Bridging online and offline, arena and studio, the site is evolving into a round-the-clock e-sports content complex.
In April 2026, Shanghai issued the city’s new policy measures to support the development of the gaming and e-sports industry, focusing on ten key areas including cluster development, capital and talent supply, “gaming+” cross-sector integration, overseas expansion, and upgrading the e-sports tournament system.
Against this backdrop, Putuo District aims to leverage the MTR E-sports Industrial Park as an engine to accelerate an integrated “e-sports + culture, tourism, sports, exhibition, and commerce” ecosystem. The park is equipped with professional broadcasting facilities, a control center, and theme-based retail, offering a high-standard platform for gaming leagues and companies while attracting and nurturing e-sports talent.
