Special treatment: Guangzhou R&F will get players’ concessions if they compete in Hong Kong Premier League
Chinese club will be exempted from foreign player quota and allowed to use all their mainland players if proposals are approved, making up 11 teams in the top flight
Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F have been given special treatment as they aim to join the Hong Kong Premier League for the coming season in September.
The club will be allowed to use all their mainland players plus be exempted from foreign player quota if proposals from the Hong Kong Premier League working party, are approved by the Hong Kong Football Association.
The Working Party decided in a meeting on Tuesday night that they will submit a recommendation to the Hong Kong FA board next week that 11 teams will start next season.
The 10 other teams are defending champions Eastern and six HKPL teams – Kitchee, South China, Pegasus, Yuen Long, Rangers and Southern – two newly promoted sides Tai Po and Hong Kong Football Club and Hong Kong Sapling, who are aiming to return to the top flight after playing in the old First Division in the 2011-2012 season.
There will be 20 league matches for each team and at least three more for cup competition
Dreams Metro Gallery, who finished sixth in the league last season, have decided to pull out of the HKPL because of financial problems, while relegated Wong Tai Sin are not seeking special dispensation to stay in the top flight.
There had been concerns last month that they would be too few teams in the Premier League for next season, although the problem seems to have been resolved.