On August 18, 2026, in the 18th round makeup match of the Chinese Super League, Shanghai Shenhua suffered a 0-3 defeat against Beijing Guoan at home. After the devastating loss at home, a controversial incident occurred outside the stadium post-match due to a jersey.
The game ended around 9:30 p.m. with a large number of fans dispersing. According to Jingchu Net, a seven or eight-year-old boy wearing the number 7 jersey of Chinese national team player Wu Lei, accompanied by his father, was stopped near escalator No. 2 at the Shanghai Stadium by three men wearing Shenhua jerseys. The three men accused and verbally abused the boy’s father. Someone captured the incident on video, which later circulated online.
Some netizens expressed dissatisfaction, stating that adults should not vent their emotions from the game on children, and commented, “Hope the child is not left with a shadow.”
Chinese national team player Wu Lei, who has long worn the number 7 jersey, currently plays for Shanghai SIPG and is one of the team’s iconic players. Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai SIPG are both Chinese Super League teams based in Shanghai, engaging in a longstanding fierce rivalry.
After the incident came to light, Wu Lei posted a missing person notice on his personal Weibo at 11:26 p.m. that evening, seeking to contact the young fan wearing the national team’s number 7 jersey and his father.
As the incident continued to escalate, many netizens urged for the protection of children’s love for football and called for relevant authorities to investigate.
On the evening of August 19, Shanghai police issued a bulletin stating that the spectators Hua (male, 36 years old), Jin (male, 41 years old), and Yin (male, 51 years old) at the escalator No. 2 at the stadium saw a young boy wearing non-home team player apparel and, to vent their emotions, accused and insulted the boy’s father. The police determined that the actions of the three constituted a violation of causing trouble and were administratively detained.