Sip coffee while you sport: cafés themed around sports are trending as a result of the Paris Olympics

During the Paris Olympics, China's enthusiasm for sports has been reignited, leading to a rise in the popularity of cafés themed around sports like table tennis, tennis, and basketball. These cafés have become trendy new hangouts for young people. Before this trend, we also wrote about unconventional café experiences.

XUPERMAN is a "Ping Pong experience & lifestyle center” in Shanghai, founded by former table tennis Olympic and world champion Xu Xin (许昕). It offers ping pong lessons, competitions, entertainment, and coffee. Xuperman Sports is a professional facility for Ping Pong enthusiasts, while Xuperman Café is a Ping Pong-themed café serving classic espresso, flavoured lattes, sparkling water, and decaf options, with prices ranging from ￥20 ($2.80) to ￥30 ($4.20).

Xuperman Cafe Ping Pong-themed café. Image: Dianping大众点评

Another sport-themed café that recently opened is RIHabcPlayer, a tennis-themed café that has quickly become a trendy spot among young people. Here, customers can enjoy coffee and desserts priced around ￥38 ($5.30), and there's also an indoor tennis training area and coffee lounge.

RIHabcPlayer tennis-themed café. Image: Dianping 大众点评

Trendy coffee + tennis cake combo offered by RIHabcPlayer Café. Image:

There are also cafés themed around basketball, badminton, and gaming, each designed with distinct sports-themed decor that transports customers into a fun, athletic atmosphere. These cafés initially draw customers in with their sports themes, then offer experience sessions in indoor areas to engage them further, and ultimately aim to sell training lessons on courts.

Cafes themed around basketball, badminton and gaming. Image: Xiaohongshu @尤尤 @SNOW @ Aaron Ccy | 吃货日记

This cross-industry fusion gives customers more reasons to visit—whether for photo snapping or to enjoy the sport. It’s also a way for business owners to stand out and attract customers without engaging in price wars. However, this dual business model comes with high barriers, including the need for large venues with high rental costs and the demand for facilities for sport and recreation, and coaches.