Shenzhen New Peng City kicks off its 2026 season campaign, with Chen Tao stating: When everyone is going crazy, I must stay calm.

Reporter Wang Wei reports On the afternoon of March 2nd, the Chinese Super League team Shenzhen New Peng City held its 2026 season departure ceremony with the theme "New Journey of Peng City, Setting Off to Chase Dreams" at Shenzhen Stadium. Shenzhen Vice Mayor Zhang Hua presented the team flag, representing the launch of the new season, to captain Jiang Zhipeng, officially commencing Shenzhen New Peng City's 2026 season campaign. At the ceremony, head coach Chen Tao discussed the team's goals for the season, expressing determination to overcome all difficulties and strive for top results. "We have brought in many new signings this year, and the quality of players is stronger than last season. I hope that under the leadership of the entire team, we can achieve satisfactory results this year," Chen Tao emphasized. "At this stage, we must prioritize hardship and difficulty; only by giving more will we gain more in return during matches."

For the 2026 season, Shenzhen New Peng City's first team has welcomed 15 new signings, including Zhou Dingyang, Dai Weijun, and Xuan Zhijian, further strengthening the squad. At the departure ceremony, the new signings took the stage one by one; they come from various regions, and some are players who emerged from Shenzhen's school football system.

After the departure ceremony, head coach Chen Tao, speaking about this season's objectives, said: "The club hasn't put immense pressure on us, and I'm very grateful for their open-minded attitude. Many might think that with so many new signings, we should achieve certain results, but I've never thought that way. I've always believed that when everyone is going crazy, I must stay calm. Conversely, last season when everyone calmly assumed we might be relegated, we managed to stir things up. So now we need to maintain a very calm mindset to face this year's challenging schedule. Although the club provides a relaxed environment, personally, I want to seize this opportunity to bring out everyone's full potential, strive for a higher ranking, and repay the opportunities and support Shenzhen has given me."

Judging from Shenzhen New Peng City's signings this season, several excellent players have been added to the midfield and forward lines, significantly enhancing the team's attacking prowess. The defense has been bolstered with the addition of Croatian center-back Benkovic and domestic young talents. The strengthened midfield and attack provide greater offensive power, while defensive adjustments are relatively minor; the team's defense will still face tests in the new season. "Currently, the defensive end is certainly challenging. First, we need to tap into internal resources and maximize the players' potential. Compared to last season, our preparations this year are longer, and I aim to improve the overall coordination among players and enhance the team's athletic performance."

Discussing the team's roster for the new season, Chen Tao said: "Based on our current preparations, three or four of the new signings might be in the starting lineup, so our pressure is still quite high." He then added: "But I believe pressure can be a driving force."

For the new season, the coaching staff of Shenzhen New Peng City has been supplemented with former internationals like Dong Xuesheng and Guan Zhen. Regarding this, Chen Tao stated: "The existing Chinese coaching staff members have been teammates before, so they understand each other's working styles very well. I think this brings positive energy to our team. Moreover, my collaboration with the foreign assistant coaches is growing longer, and we are becoming more familiar with each other. I believe our working team will get better and better in the new season."

Chen Tao believes that New Peng City has now deeply integrated with the spirit of Shenzhen city. "Last season, during a very dangerous relegation battle, Vice Mayor Zhang Hua specially visited New Peng City's football base, giving us great encouragement and support. With the full support of leaders and fans, we created a minor miracle. For us, the club demonstrates a sense of social responsibility; we should embody the spirit of this city and its people on the pitch."

On March 6th (this Friday) at 19:35, Shenzhen New Peng City will play away against Chengdu Rongcheng. This match is the opening game of this year's Chinese Super League, and March 6th also happens to be the birthday of New Peng City captain Jiang Zhipeng. "It is indeed a coincidence. I hope to leverage the good luck of my birthday to bring a good start for the team," Jiang Zhipeng said.

Regarding serving as team captain for the new season, Jiang Zhipeng said: "Actually, I'm not the only captain in the team; there are also Wesley, Zhou Dingyang, and many other key players. In my view, although only one person wears the armband, I believe everyone on the field is a captain."

This season, several Chinese Super League teams face point deductions, which might provide New Peng City with an opportunity to push forward. On this, Jiang Zhipeng believes: "As New Peng City, we should focus on ourselves first, step by step, playing match by match, giving our all and performing well in every game."

Regarding this CSL opener, Chen Tao said: "For me, I want three points from every match. Considering Chengdu Rongcheng's overall strength and last season's encounters, they certainly have the advantage. I think for the first match, we must first establish a solid defense, then look for opportunities to see if we can achieve something."

This opening match holds special meaning for Zhou Dingyang, who transferred from Chengdu Rongcheng to Shenzhen New Peng City at the start of the season, and for Bai Helamu, who moved from New Peng City to Rongcheng, resembling an unconventional derby. Chen Tao stated: "Zhou Dingyang is in good form; he is a very capable and promising player. Dai Weijun was injured during the preparation period and has now started training with the team. He still needs some time. Xiao Dai is at a good age, and I believe he will become an indispensable player for us."

At the departure ceremony, Tang Xigang, CEO of City Football Group China and Chairman/General Manager of Shenzhen New Peng City Football Club, said: "We thank Coach Chen Tao for leading the team to successfully avoid relegation against the odds last season; this trial has made the team more resilient. In the 2026 season, the club enters its third year in Shenzhen. The team is taking root and developing, further strengthening the squad, and commercial operations have made breakthrough progress. New Peng City's mission to build a professional, international, and sustainable club for Shenzhen remains unchanged. We welcome all citizens and fans to come to the stadium and cheer for the team."

Regarding measures to help New Peng City take deeper roots and integrate better into Shenzhen, Tang Xigang said: "We will continue to strengthen the areas we did well last year and enhance the matchday experience for spectators. This year, Shenzhen Sports Center has opened commercial facilities, offering fans a better viewing experience; they can arrive early to soak in the atmosphere. During the winter training, we produced several special features, which received positive feedback from fans. We will create richer and better content to bring the team, players, and fans closer together."

Tang Xigang also gave a preview: "Our team is working intensively on designing the club's mascot, which will be launched in the near future. We will develop this mascot into products that can be placed at home."

For the 2026 season, companies like Etihad Airways and China Minsheng Bank have become partners of Shenzhen New Peng City. Tang Xigang stated: "The club's operations rely on the support of commercial enterprises. We hope more local Shenzhen, domestic, and even international companies will support New Peng City in the new season, and we aim to empower these businesses through the league platform. Last season, our average attendance reached 30,000, while Shenzhen Stadium can hold 43,000, so there is still room for growth in attendance."

Youth development is the foundation of a club's growth and the future of Shenzhen football. At the departure ceremony, Shenzhen New Peng City's U15, U17, and U20 youth academy teams made their first public appearance. Dressed in neat team uniforms, the players fully displayed the vibrant energy of Shenzhen football's new generation. Since settling in Shenzhen, New Peng City Club has continuously deepened its youth training system, committed to cultivating more outstanding talents for Shenzhen and Chinese football. Tang Xigang said: "For a club to develop sustainably in a city, it must integrate into the city, achieve stable and upward progress in team performance. Moving forward, we will increase activities to engage with schools and communities. Integrating into the city requires a strong focus on youth development; some of this year's new signings are products of Shenzhen's local school football system, which is a great starting point. We will also collaborate with schools like Cuiyuan Middle School and establish youth training systems in different districts, patiently and persistently progressing step by step."