2025 in Review: China Media Group lists top 10 domestic sports stories

China Media Group (CMG) has listed the 10 most memorable domestic sports moments of 2025 to cap its review of the year's biggest highlights.

1. China's 15th National Games, co-hosted by Guangdong Province, Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region) and Macao SAR, ran from November 9 to 21, marking the first time the country's premier multi-sport event has been jointly hosted by three regions.

2. The ninth Asian Winter Games took place in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province from February 7 to 14, with the host country's athletes achieving their best results in the history of the continental showcase.

3. The 12th World Games held center stage in Chengdu, southwest China's Sichuan Province from August 7 to 17, in the international multi-sport gathering's first foray into the Chinese mainland.

4. The "Su Super League," the nickname for the grassroots Jiangsu Football City League, took China by storm with packed stadiums and gained massive popularity. Attendance kept hitting new highs and broke multiple records during the competition.

5. On September 4, the General Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China issued a set of guidelines to boost the consumption potential of the sports economy. By 2030, China plans to propel its domestic sports industry to a scale of more than seven trillion yuan (approximately $995.9 billion).

6. Chinese center Yang Hansen went to the Portland Trail Blazers with the 16th pick in the first round of the NBA Draft on June 25, making him the third first-rounder from China after Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian.

7. Ju Wenjun made history by winning the women's blitz final at the World Chess Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York on January 1. Her victory completed a rare Grand Slam, as she became only the second female player after Judit Polgar to win world titles in the classical, rapid, and blitz formats.

8. Zhao Xintong became Asia's first world snooker champion after beating Mark Williams 18-12 in the final at the World Snooker Championship in Sheffield, England, on May 5.

9. China beat the Republic of Korea in the final of the 19th Sudirman Cup on May 4 to defend the title, claiming a fourth consecutive championship and lifted the trophy for the 14th time in team history.

10. In December 2024, Fan Zhendong and Chen Meng announced their withdrawals from the ITTF (International Table Tennis Federation) World Rankings, triggering reforms in World Table Tennis.