Sanya Locks in Formula E Return as 2027 Asian Season Opener — Coastal City Builds Momentum as Global Events Hub
City to host first GEN4-era Formula E race on Chinese soil; confirmed as Round 7 of the record-breaking 2026/27 season with 21 races across 13 global cities
Sanya, China, 25 June 2026 - Following a triumphant beachfront race broadcast live to 195 countries, Sanya has secured Round 7 of the 2026/27 ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Scheduled for April 17, 2027, the race will serve as the Asian season opener and mark the first GEN4-era Formula E race on Chinese soil, part of the championship's largest-ever calendar of 21 races across 13 cities.
"Sanya is a circuit that pushes drivers to the absolute limit. Bringing GEN4 here early in the season is a deliberate choice."
— Alberto Longo, Co-Founder and Chief Championship Officer, Formula E
Sanya's credentials rest on solid data: in the first six months since Island-wide special customs operations of the Hainan Free Trade Port commenced, the island recorded 1.654 million cross-border entries, up 31.2% year-on-year. The city has successfully hosted the 6th Asian Beach Games and the Hainan Island International Film Festival, with the HYROX World Fitness Championship finale still to come.
Three structural advantages underpin the strategy: a visa-free regime for 86 countries and open-skies policies enabling 36 direct routes to 29 destinations; 23 Sanya Tourism Overseas Promotion Liaison Office across ten-plus countries facilitating cooperation with international rights holders; and a one-stop approval service that has significantly streamlined previously complex procedures. The result is a decisive transition: Sanya has moved from an occasional host to a city proactively sought after by the world's leading organisers.
"We are building a platform capable of hosting world-class events on a sustained basis, and warmly welcome global organisers and visitors to experience the unique charm of a city that is livable, visitable, and business-friendly."
— Representative of the Sanya Municipal People's Government
Press Coverage
[PR Newswire] https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sanya-locks-in-formula-e-return-as-2027-asian-season-opener--tropi cal-coastal-city-builds-momentum-as-global-events-hub-302810557.html
[FiA Formula E] https://www.fiaformulae.com/en
About the Sanya Tourism Board
The Sanya Tourism Board (STB) is a statutory body established by the Sanya Municipal People's Government. Its mission is to enhance the competitiveness and international reputation of Sanya as a premier global tourism destination and to support the development of Hainan as an international tourism consumption centre under the Hainan Free Trade Port. The STB formulates tourism promotion strategies, coordinates domestic and international publicity, and oversees international tourism exchange and cooperation.
Media Inquires
Sanya Tourism Board — Media & Promotion Department (Overseas Promotion Center)
Email: rio.wang@visitsanya.com
Website: www.visitsanya.com