On the evening of August 18, 2026, Shanghai Shenhua lost 0-3 to Beijing Guoan in a Chinese Super League match at Shanghai Stadium. After the game, a young fan wearing Wu Lei’s national team number 7 jersey was surrounded and verbally attacked by several Shenhua supporters while leaving the stadium. The cause of the incident remains unclear, but the atmosphere at the scene was tense.
Police received a report on August 19, stating that at about 21:30, three men (Huà Mǒu Mǒu, 36; Jīn Mǒu Mǒu, 41; Yīn Mǒu Mǒu, 51) at the 2nd escalator of the stadium saw a boy wearing a non‑home team jersey and then verbally abused the boy’s father. They have been detained under administrative detention. Police reminded fans to watch games civilly and express emotions rationally.
At 23:26 that night, Wu Lei posted a missing‑person notice on his personal Weibo, calling for anyone who saw the father‑son pair wearing the national team number 7 jersey at Shanghai Stadium to contact him. The post was widely shared, sparking heated discussion. Netizens argued that a child’s love for football is good and should be protected; some called for Shanghai police to intervene.
This incident again highlights the emotional clashes between fans of the city’s rival clubs. Shanghai Shenhua and Shanghai Haigang are local rivals, and their supporters often clash. Wu Lei has long worn number 7 for the national team, while at the club level he is a flagship player for Shanghai Haigang. The crowding incident raises questions about how to maintain sportsmanship and civilized viewing amid intense competition.
