https://www.scmp.com/rss/323848/feed The Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League is the highest tier of domestic football in China. The season usually runs from March to October. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Stephy Zhang Stephy Zhang Striker Matt Orr is expected to leave Shenzhen Peng City after his contract expires and could be heading to Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Shanghai Port, a move that could force Hong Kong teammate Alex Jojo to look for a new club. Orr’s departure is just one involving a number of Hong Kong footballers who play in the CSL, with defender Yue Tze-nam, who was earlier confirmed to be leaving Meizhou Hakka at the end of this month, reportedly set to join Beijing Guoan. Shenzhen announced on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338141/hong-kong-striker-orr-linked-shanghai-port-city-teammate-yue-signs-beijing-guoan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338141/hong-kong-striker-orr-linked-shanghai-port-city-teammate-yue-signs-beijing-guoan?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 07:57:39 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Chinese Super League (CSL) leaders Beijing Guoan have had their team bus seized, forcing players to return from training using shared bikes, as the club’s parent company struggles with billions of yuan of debt. Pictures on social media on Friday showed the team bus being towed away with its door bearing a seal from the Beijing Intermediate People’s Court. Images then started circulating on Chinese social media showing three of the club’s foreign players hiring shared bikes and riding away from... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3316230/team-bus-csl-leaders-beijing-guoan-seized-over-debt-issues-players-forced-hire-bikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3316230/team-bus-csl-leaders-beijing-guoan-seized-over-debt-issues-players-forced-hire-bikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Jun 2025 13:30:09 +0000 Football fans in China were outraged by Zhejiang FC’s decision to go ahead with a league match hours after the death of their Gabon international striker, Aaron Boupendza. Police have ruled out foul play in the death of the 28-year-old, who died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in the eastern city of Hangzhou on Wednesday afternoon. Boupendza’s Hangzhou-based club went ahead with a home Chinese Super League fixture later on Wednesday against Meizhou Hakka, sparking grief and anger... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306879/fans-voice-anger-china-club-plays-hours-after-gabon-striker-aaron-boupendzas-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306879/fans-voice-anger-china-club-plays-hours-after-gabon-striker-aaron-boupendzas-death?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Apr 2025 06:09:08 +0000 The Gabonese football federation announced on Wednesday that Aaron Boupendza, a striker for its men’s national team, had died after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China. A federation statement, posted on social network X, did not say when the alleged incident took place, nor give details. The 28-year-old Boupendza had been playing for Zhejiang FC in the Chinese Super League this year. Zhejiang issued a statement saying Boupendza died at his residence. “Now the club is fully... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3306826/probe-gabon-footballers-death-china-fa-cites-fall-building?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3306826/probe-gabon-footballers-death-china-fa-cites-fall-building?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Apr 2025 17:46:53 +0000 Hong Kong international Shinichi Chan was the unlikely hero with a winner deep into stoppage time as Shanghai Shenhua beat visiting Zhejiang Greentown 3-2 in the Chinese Super League on Saturday. Chan was only called upon in the 63rd minute to replace Xu Haoyang and the left-back found the net in the 98th minute to give his side their fourth win in six matches this season. Speaking afterwards, the 22-year-old said he did not expect to be his side’s match winner. “Usually it’s Yu [Hanchao], so it... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306323/hong-kong-star-shinichi-chan-shanghai-shenhuas-hero-winner-deep-stoppage-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3306323/hong-kong-star-shinichi-chan-shanghai-shenhuas-hero-winner-deep-stoppage-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Apr 2025 04:09:19 +0000 Oliver Gerbig said an unprecedented winning streak was “changing the narrative” around Hong Kong, as the team prepared to begin their 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifying quest in Singapore on Tuesday. Ashley Westwood’s side warmed up for the biggest game of the Englishman’s reign by beating Macau 2-0 last week to extend their winning run to a record-breaking seventh match. But to reach the finals in Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong must top a group also featuring India and Bangladesh. Defender Gerbig played... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3303502/hong-kong-changing-narrative-team-begins-bid-reach-asian-cup-saudi-arabia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3303502/hong-kong-changing-narrative-team-begins-bid-reach-asian-cup-saudi-arabia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 01:30:13 +0000 Guo Jiaxuan, the Chinese footballer left fighting for his life following a collision during a match in Madrid last month, has died in Beijing hours before his 19th birthday, his brother has revealed. The teenager had been on life support in hospital in the Chinese capital since his family asked to bring him home from Spain, where he had been attending a training camp. He was left brain-dead after suffering a subarachnoid haemorrhage – a form of stroke caused by bleeding on the surface of the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3303207/brain-dead-chinese-teen-footballer-dies-hours-19th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3303207/brain-dead-chinese-teen-footballer-dies-hours-19th-birthday?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Mar 2025 12:45:42 +0000 Chinese Super League clubs need to play with greater intensity if they are to succeed in the Asian Champions League Elite, Shanghai Shenhua coach Leonid Slutsky said after his team were eliminated from the continental competition on Wednesday. Slutsky’s side were thrashed 4-0 at Kawasaki Frontale to exit the tournament 4-1 on aggregate, a defeat that came a day after back-to-back CSL winners Shanghai Port suffered a heavy loss to another Japanese side, Yokohama F Marinos. Former Russia manager... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302262/asian-champions-league-elite-shanghai-shenhua-coach-says-chinese-teams-must-intensity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3302262/asian-champions-league-elite-shanghai-shenhua-coach-says-chinese-teams-must-intensity?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 14:00:13 +0000 Videos shared on social media have captured apparent clashes involving football fans of Shanghai Shenhua and Beijing Guoan after the Chinese Super League clubs met in a bad-tempered match on Saturday. There were angry scenes outside the ground after the teams’ 2-2 draw at the home of Shenhua, before the drama continued with confrontations between rival fans on the streets of Shanghai. A dramatic finale to the match led to a melee in the middle of the pitch involving players and staff from both... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300733/chinese-super-league-shanghai-beijing-fans-clash-after-dramatic-end-match?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3300733/chinese-super-league-shanghai-beijing-fans-clash-after-dramatic-end-match?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Mar 2025 09:44:30 +0000 Football officials in Beijing are “delaying” the release of vital information about the incident that has left a young Chinese player fighting for his life following an accident in Spain, a source in the capital has said. Guo Jiaxuan, 18, who plays for the under-20 team of Chinese Super League (CSL) club Beijing Guoan, last week suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage that left him brain-dead and on life support, after colliding with another player during a training match against RC Alcobendas in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3298841/chinese-footballer-brain-dead-after-accident-flown-home-family-search-answers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3298841/chinese-footballer-brain-dead-after-accident-flown-home-family-search-answers?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 15 Feb 2025 11:55:21 +0000 The family of a promising Chinese footballer who suffered severe brain injuries in an accident during a training camp in Spain have accused his club and Beijing’s governing body of failing to cover the teenager’s medical bills. Guo Jiaxuan, 18, who plays for the academy of Chinese Super League (CSL) team Beijing Guoan, suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage after colliding with another player during a training match against RC Alcobendas in Madrid, Guo’s brother said on Tuesday. A subarachnoid... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3298350/chinese-footballer-18-brain-dead-after-accident-spain-family-accuse-club-and-fa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3298350/chinese-footballer-18-brain-dead-after-accident-spain-family-accuse-club-and-fa?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Feb 2025 07:15:51 +0000 Anson Wong Ho-chun spelled out his intention to “shoot for the stars” and become one of the Chinese Super League’s best young players, after completing a move from Eastern to Qingdao Hainiu. The 22-year-old is the third Eastern player in quick succession to secure a mainland switch, after Jesse Yu Joy-yin and Ng Yu-hei joined clubs in China League One in the past month. Wong acknowledged he was heading into the unknown, but said he had to accept Qingdao’s offer or risk future feelings of “huge... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3297000/hong-kong-midfielder-aiming-be-best-chinese-super-league-after-qingdao-hainiu-move?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3297000/hong-kong-midfielder-aiming-be-best-chinese-super-league-after-qingdao-hainiu-move?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Feb 2025 02:00:21 +0000 Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification As the HK$30 billion Kai Tak Sports Park nears its formal opening, one question remains: how to fill it? Last Saturday, 18,000 people attended the “Four in Love” charity concert at the 50,000-seat... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3295958/weve-built-kai-tak-sports-park-now-keep-crowds-coming?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3295958/weve-built-kai-tak-sports-park-now-keep-crowds-coming?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jan 2025 03:30:08 +0000 Alex Jojo said local Premier League footballers were united in wanting a Hong Kong club to enter mainland Chinese competitions, as he prepared to play across the border in the annual Guangdong-Hong Kong Cup. Defender Jojo, one of six senior players in a primarily under-23 Hong Kong squad for Wednesday’s first leg in Guangzhou, could soon become the latest prominent figure to leave Eastern, where he is on a season’s loan from Swedish team IK Oddevold. The Post has been told the 25-year-old had... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3294692/hong-kong-footballers-hoping-premier-league-club-joins-mainland-china-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3294692/hong-kong-footballers-hoping-premier-league-club-joins-mainland-china-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Jan 2025 09:30:09 +0000 World Cup winner Franco Baresi has urged China to create a football “culture” if they want to improve their standing on the world stage. China are encountering a difficult period in the sport, with the men’s side bottom of their group in Asia’s third round of World Cup qualifying, while the women’s team failed to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games. In the late 2010s, the Chinese Super League underwent a huge spending spree, as players such as Oscar, Carlos Tevez, Javier Mascherano and Alexandre... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289612/italy-milan-icon-franco-baresi-urges-chinese-super-league-create-football-culture?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3289612/italy-milan-icon-franco-baresi-urges-chinese-super-league-create-football-culture?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Dec 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Wolfgang Luisser has quit as Hong Kong assistant manager to join former representative team boss Jorn Andersen at Yunnan Yukun. He will leave after tonight’s friendly clash with Mauritius at Mong Kok Stadium. Austrian Luisser, who was appointed in March 2022, was placed in interim charge of Hong Kong at short notice when Andersen resigned to take over at Yunnan back in May. He oversaw World Cup qualifiers against Iran and Turkmenistan, as well as a tri-nations competition success when Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3287263/assistant-luisser-quits-hong-kong-join-former-boss-andersen-chinese-super-league?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3287263/assistant-luisser-quits-hong-kong-join-former-boss-andersen-chinese-super-league?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:23:03 +0000 Edgar Cardoso said Hong Kong football would rapidly develop if the city’s leading clubs joined the Chinese Super League. The Portuguese coach has quietly parted the storm clouds that gathered over Kitchee last season, following his appointment as head coach. His team beat China League One side Guangxi Pingguo Haliao 4-1 in a mainland friendly last Saturday. And the 41-year-old said playing mainland sides more regularly would be of great benefit to the city’s better teams. “These opponents force... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3286860/hong-kongs-best-teams-should-play-chinese-super-league-kitchee-boss-cardoso-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3286860/hong-kongs-best-teams-should-play-chinese-super-league-kitchee-boss-cardoso-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Nov 2024 03:00:21 +0000 Kai Tak Sports Park is undeniably the most anticipated infrastructure project in Hong Kong. Ahead of its opening next year, hype has been built up around its hosting of the Hong Kong Sevens and Coldplay concerts, and the economic and social benefits to the surrounding area. A world-class venue for sports and entertainment is long overdue, especially if Hong Kong is to live up to its brand as “Asia’s World City”. While some of us are sentimental about Hong Kong Stadium, the ageing facility in So... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3285286/kai-tak-sports-park-missing-piece-football-home-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3285286/kai-tak-sports-park-missing-piece-football-home-team?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 01:30:07 +0000 Angry fans of Shanghai Shenhua have sent a torrent of online abuse at their side’s star players after the team missed out on the Chinese Super League title to arch-rivals Shanghai Port on the final day of the campaign on Saturday. While both Shanghai sides won their final fixtures of the season, it was a 2-2 with relegation strugglers Shenzhen Peng City in the penultimate match that handed the title initiative to their rivals – Port won out by one point. Cephas Malele, whose 16 goals was only... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285084/angry-shanghai-shenhua-fans-send-abuse-star-player-online-after-missing-out-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3285084/angry-shanghai-shenhua-fans-send-abuse-star-player-online-after-missing-out-title?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Nov 2024 07:05:45 +0000 Former Australia international and English Premier League defender Kevin Muscat celebrated a championship in a third different country as a head coach as Shanghai Port won the Chinese Super League title on Saturday. Shanghai beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 5-0 to finish on 78 points from 30 games, one more than city rival Shanghai Shenhua. It is Port’s second successive championship, and a third in total. Port totalled 96 goals, a record for the league, with leading scorer Wu Lei adding two more... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3284964/chinese-super-league-shanghai-ports-title-makes-it-treble-head-coach-kevin-muscat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3284964/chinese-super-league-shanghai-ports-title-makes-it-treble-head-coach-kevin-muscat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Nov 2024 15:00:08 +0000 Shinichi Chan says he has grown in stature physically and developed a no-fear attitude since joining Chinese Super League title contenders Shanghai Shenhua. When he left Kitchee for Shanghai in June, Hong Kong defender Chan said one reason was seeing the improvements made by mainland China-based representative team colleagues. Early evidence indicates the 22-year-old is making similar gains. In Hong Kong matches over the past week against Liechtenstein and Cambodia, a noticeably broader and more... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3282701/hong-kongs-shinichi-chan-enjoys-tension-chinese-super-league-title-chase-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3282701/hong-kongs-shinichi-chan-enjoys-tension-chinese-super-league-title-chase-shanghai?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:00:10 +0000 A former Chinese Super League (CSL) and China League 1 (CL1) footballer has revealed how match-fixing, which led to 43 players being given a lifetime ban from the sport, worked during his time there. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) hit 38 footballers and five club officials with lifetime bans this month, and said 120 matches, involving 41 clubs, had been fixed. The footballer, who is in his mid 30s and still playing in Asia, claimed games crucial to the CL1 title race in 2021, during... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3279425/match-fixing-chinese-football-rampant-during-covid-there-was-no-escaping-it-player-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3279425/match-fixing-chinese-football-rampant-during-covid-there-was-no-escaping-it-player-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:30:12 +0000 Hong Kong’s success in the Olympics has sparked much debate about further developing elite sport in the city. One sport in need of a boost is football. The local premier league season kicked off last weekend, amid growing concerns about the future of the game in the city. A new head coach for the Hong Kong men’s team has followed the disappointing departure of fan favourite Jorn Andersen, who exceeded expectations with an exciting brand of football. His successor, Ashley Westwood, a former... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3277568/struggling-hong-kong-football-faces-game-its-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3277568/struggling-hong-kong-football-faces-game-its-life?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Sep 2024 22:30:08 +0000 Asked if he was frustrated over the ongoing wait to hear about a schedule and format for the new local football season, the Kowloon City vice-chairman, Andrew Mak Yung-pan, smiled and bit his tongue. “It is still in progress, there is nothing set in stone,” said Mak, whose club are the newest top-flight addition. Welcome to the Hong Kong Premier League (HKPL). Roughly one month before the 2024-25 campaign, we have no official start date, no fixture list and no plan for a competition now reduced... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3271602/premier-league-loses-clubs-and-fans-hong-kong-football-needs-urgent-action-survive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3271602/premier-league-loses-clubs-and-fans-hong-kong-football-needs-urgent-action-survive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 Jul 2024 04:00:14 +0000 Shinichi Chan hopes his dream move to Shanghai Shenhua goes some way to convincing sceptical Hongkongers that sport is more than just a hobby, and can be a career too. Athletic pursuits in the city are traditionally relegated to secondary concerns, at best, as parents prioritise their children’s education and other activities. The 21-year-old Chan has already played in Spain, where he received guidance from boss Unai Emery, who now coaches Aston Villa in the English Premier League. But after... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268205/defender-chan-hopes-dream-move-csl-title-chasers-shanghai-sparks-change-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268205/defender-chan-hopes-dream-move-csl-title-chasers-shanghai-sparks-change-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 27 Jun 2024 04:00:12 +0000 Roberto Losada has quashed speculation he could become the new head coach of Hong Kong, after signing a new three-year contract with current employers Eastern. The Hong Kong post has been vacant since Jorn Andersen quit last month to take over at Yunnan Yukun of China League One. This week, the local football association publicly advertised for a head coach stipulating applications must be submitted by July 1. Losada was quickly linked with the job following Andersen’s exit, given the Spaniard’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267258/losada-out-hong-kong-head-coach-running-fa-hunting-andersen-successor?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267258/losada-out-hong-kong-head-coach-running-fa-hunting-andersen-successor?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:30:14 +0000 Former Wuhan Three Towns winger Nicolae Stanciu has saluted the support he has received in China, after his stunning goal helped Romania open their Euro 2024 campaign with victory. Notching just their second win ever in the competition’s history, the Eastern European nation beat Ukraine 3-0 with the 31-year-old’s fierce strike kicking off proceedings. After the match, Stanciu had some words for fans in China, having spent two seasons in the Chinese Super League, enjoying title success in his... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267075/euro-2024-romanias-chinese-super-league-winner-stanciu-thanks-fans-china-support?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267075/euro-2024-romanias-chinese-super-league-winner-stanciu-thanks-fans-china-support?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Jun 2024 08:49:27 +0000 Oliver Gerbig has vowed to remain faithful to new club Henan FC despite a “rough start” to his Chinese Super League career. The Hong Kong centre-back, who is expected to feature in Thursday’s World Cup qualifier against Iran, has started only three games for Henan following a February move from Kitchee. He has played only one minute since being withdrawn at half-time of a defeat by Zhejiang FC on April 30. The team’s form has nosedived during Gerbig’s exclusion, and pressure is mounting on Nam... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265343/hong-kong-defender-gerbig-has-rough-start-chinese-super-league-career-ready-world-cup-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265343/hong-kong-defender-gerbig-has-rough-start-chinese-super-league-career-ready-world-cup-qualifier?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:00:19 +0000 One of the city’s most exciting young footballers, Jesse Yu Joy-yin, is in no rush to join Hong Kong teammates flocking to the mainland, following a fabulous 2024 for the Eastern midfielder. Yu’s nimble feet led Kitchee’s foreign stars on a merry dance on Wednesday, as swashbuckling Eastern beat the defending champions 2-1 at a boisterous Mong Kok Stadium. Roberto Losada, the Eastern head coach, told the Post that Yu boasted the potential to be a “great player … to grow up and go to another... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3261290/look-messi-and-maradona-size-wont-limit-hong-kong-midfield-talent-jesse-yu-who-playing-transfer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3261290/look-messi-and-maradona-size-wont-limit-hong-kong-midfield-talent-jesse-yu-who-playing-transfer?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 May 2024 06:30:26 +0000 Shenzhen Peng City coach Jesus Tato said the newly rebranded club’s maiden win would not be far away after they collected their first point of the Chinese Super League season. Peng were left disappointed on Friday evening, when they conceded a stoppage-time equaliser that denied them victory against Cangzhou Mighty Lions. Brazilian forward Heber had put Cangzhou ahead before strikes by Edu Garcia and Zhang Wei put Peng City on course for three points, only for Oscar Maritu to force them to share... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3257320/city-football-groups-chinese-club-shenzhen-will-get-first-win-soon-coach-jesus-tato-vows-fans-show?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3257320/city-football-groups-chinese-club-shenzhen-will-get-first-win-soon-coach-jesus-tato-vows-fans-show?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 30 Mar 2024 09:57:33 +0000 Shenzhen Peng City were urged to sign more players and drop ticket prices to bolster their assault on football’s Chinese Super League after back-to-back defeats to start their first season since relocating from Chengdu. A narrow one-goal defeat at Zhejiang in their opening match last week was followed by a 4-0 thrashing by Tianjin Jinmen Tiger on their home debut on Sunday. The results hinted at the rebranded team’s immediate prospects in a new home in the southern city bordering Hong Kong,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3254972/can-manchester-citys-owners-succeed-chinese-football-shenzhen-peng-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3254972/can-manchester-citys-owners-succeed-chinese-football-shenzhen-peng-city?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 10:22:35 +0000 Sun Ming-him is relishing a “more intensive and competitive” environment after swapping the Hong Kong Premier League for Chinese Super League club Cangzhou Mighty Lions, as local football endures an ongoing talent drain. The city’s leading players are almost unanimously chasing or advocating moves away, with Sun’s fellow international Oliver Gerbig another recent departee and others disclosing their intentions to the Post. Sunday should bring Sun’s second Cangzhou appearance, against Chengdu... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3254643/hong-kong-star-sun-ming-him-takes-his-next-step-more-competitive-chinese-super-league-he-strives-new?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3254643/hong-kong-star-sun-ming-him-takes-his-next-step-more-competitive-chinese-super-league-he-strives-new?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Mar 2024 06:56:11 +0000 Oliver Gerbig said his Chinese Super League switch was “not motivated by money”, and he chose Henan FC over other suitors because the club provided a “clear path forwards” for his blossoming career. The Hong Kong defender fielded offers from Asia and Europe after a trio of accomplished performances at last month’s AFC Asian Cup finals in Qatar. And while acknowledging that leaving behind an “amazing life” in Hong Kong was a wrench, he said comfort had not been at the heart of his decision. “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3253608/hong-kong-defender-gerbig-completes-chinese-super-league-transfer-centre-back-leaves-kitchee-henan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3253608/hong-kong-defender-gerbig-completes-chinese-super-league-transfer-centre-back-leaves-kitchee-henan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Feb 2024 04:04:48 +0000 Inaugural Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Shenzhen FC said on Monday it was folding with immediate effect, after failing to be granted a license for the upcoming season. Founded in 1994, Shenzhen FC became the first team to win all three professional divisions in China when they won the CSL just 10 years later, in what turned out to be the club’s last league title. The team endured turbulent times after the 2004 title win and never finished higher than 11th in the top division, until their... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3249356/shenzhen-latest-chinese-football-club-fold-under-weight-past-debt-refused-license-2024-season?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3249356/shenzhen-latest-chinese-football-club-fold-under-weight-past-debt-refused-license-2024-season?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jan 2024 10:45:10 +0000 It’s been barely five years since West Ham United footballer Marko Arnautovic kicked up a dreadful fuss to try and force a transfer to Chinese Super League (CSL) club Guangzhou Evergrande. Take with a pinch of salt what Arnautovic’s brother and agent, Danijel, said about a desire to “win titles in China”. The forward was 29 years old and reportedly being offered £280,000 (US$360,000) per week to take his capricious talent to Guangzhou. It was January 2019 and the CSL and its clubs were still... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3243253/skys-limit-can-saudi-arabian-football-pull-what-china-failed-do?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/long-reads/article/3243253/skys-limit-can-saudi-arabian-football-pull-what-china-failed-do?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Dec 2023 08:15:11 +0000 Chinese Super League heavyweights Shanghai Port and Shandong Taishan were awaiting potential sanctions from the country’s football authorities on Monday after a powderkeg climax to the title race. The biggest game of the campaign on Sunday finished in a 1-1 draw, clinching the championship for hosts Shanghai. But the contest descended into chaos, with referee Mametjan Ahmet issuing five red cards, one of them for combustible Port manager Javier Pereira, amid volatile scenes – including a brawl –... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3239711/chinese-football-season-climax-marred-brawls-red-cards-raging-players-shanghai-port-clinch-super?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3239711/chinese-football-season-climax-marred-brawls-red-cards-raging-players-shanghai-port-clinch-super?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Oct 2023 11:16:21 +0000 Plagued by corruption and unpaid wages scandals, China’s football scene hit a new low recently as fans withdrew their support after the national team’s embarrassing draw against a much lower-ranked Malaysia in a friendly game. Clearly, reforms are needed if China is to keep its 2026 World Cup dream alive – after failing to qualify for more than 20 years. The focus so far has been on ridding the sport of corruption with little attention paid to how China’s football performance can be improved.... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3235099/achieve-its-football-goals-scandal-hit-china-can-learn-japan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3235099/achieve-its-football-goals-scandal-hit-china-can-learn-japan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Sep 2023 01:30:10 +0000 Liu Jun, the chairman of football’s Chinese Super League, has been taken away by the authorities for investigation, state-backed Beijing Youth Daily reported on Tuesday. The report did not give further details on the investigation and the Chinese Football Association has yet to comment. It follows this month’s announcement by China’s top state prosecutor that former national team coach Li Tie had been charged with corruption offences including bribery. Li, a former English Premier League player... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3232718/chinese-super-league-chairman-taken-away-investigation-state-media-reports-football-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3232718/chinese-super-league-chairman-taken-away-investigation-state-media-reports-football-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Aug 2023 11:08:30 +0000 Shenzhen FC forward Frank Acheampong has been fined and slapped with a four-match ban after punching an opponent he accused of aiming racist insults at him during a Chinese Super League match. Video footage captured during Shenzhen’s 3-1 loss at Henan last Friday showed the Ghana international’s rush of blood, as an incandescent Acheampong dashed towards Henan’s Gu Cao and landed a punch that sent the home player tumbling to the floor. Ghanaian winger Frank Acheampong suffers racist abuse by an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3229736/chinese-football-video-shows-ghana-aces-punch-flooring-opponent-both-players-are-banned-amid-racism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3229736/chinese-football-video-shows-ghana-aces-punch-flooring-opponent-both-players-are-banned-amid-racism?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Aug 2023 09:06:23 +0000 Standing on the pitch just before Hong Kong kicked off against Thailand in their international friendly on Monday night, Vas Nunez made sure he took a moment to “soak it all in”. The centre back was finally making his home debut for the city’s men’s side, and it had come against all the odds. Now 27, Nunez was left in limbo five years ago as he waited for his Hong Kong passport. Born to a Mexican mother and an English father, he gave up his British and Mexican citizenship to play for Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3224757/hong-kongs-vas-nunez-rescues-his-football-dream-after-nightmare-losing-club-home-debut-books-finally?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3224757/hong-kongs-vas-nunez-rescues-his-football-dream-after-nightmare-losing-club-home-debut-books-finally?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jun 2023 23:45:08 +0000 South Korea coach Jurgen Klinsmann has included Son Jun-ho in his squad for this month’s friendly matches against Peru and El Salvador despite the midfielder’s ongoing detention in China in connection with a bribery case in Liaoning province. Son, who plays his club football for Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan, was listed in the 23-man squad for the games, which will see the Koreans face Peru in Busan on June 16 before playing El Salvador four days later in Daejon. At a press... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222938/south-korean-midfielder-son-detained-china-over-bribe-allegations-included-jurgen-klinsmanns-squad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222938/south-korean-midfielder-son-detained-china-over-bribe-allegations-included-jurgen-klinsmanns-squad?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jun 2023 02:40:13 +0000 A Chinese Super league goalkeeper has come in for criticism for showing “the ultimate gamesmanship” with a series of theatrics during a crucial top-of-the-table clash on Saturday night. Chengdu Rongcheng goalkeeper Zhang Yan appeared to waste time throughout a 1-0 win over Shanghai Port, increasingly more so in the final moments before a late Manuel Palacios goal. His actions wound up the home crowd in Shanghai, with men’s national team striker Wu Lei taking exception and going over to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222900/chinese-super-league-goalkeeper-blasted-ultimate-gamesmanship-theatrics-enraging-shanghai-port-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222900/chinese-super-league-goalkeeper-blasted-ultimate-gamesmanship-theatrics-enraging-shanghai-port-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jun 2023 08:36:55 +0000 South Korea international Son Jun-ho was arrested while trying to leave China with his family and is being questioned by police on suspicion of having taken a bribe. The midfielder, who played in three of his country’s four games at last year’s Fifa World Cup, has reportedly been held by Liaoning police in northern China since last Friday, the same day Son celebrated his 31st birthday. On Tuesday, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for the foreign ministry in Beijing, said Son was detained “on suspicion... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3220646/south-korea-international-son-jun-ho-arrested-china-being-held-police?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3220646/south-korea-international-son-jun-ho-arrested-china-being-held-police?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 May 2023 13:37:56 +0000 After three Covid 19-affected seasons, corruption and financial issues, Saturday’s start of the Chinese Super League marks a return to something approaching normal in the country’s football scene. For the first time since the end of the 2019 season and the subsequent lockdowns, bio-secure bubbles in designated host cities and empty stadiums, fans will be able to watch their teams play at home and away. Supporters will be present when defending champion Wuhan Three Towns play against Shanghai... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3217006/chinese-football-fans-finally-back-stadiums-new-super-league-season-after-3-troubling-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3217006/chinese-football-fans-finally-back-stadiums-new-super-league-season-after-3-troubling-years?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Apr 2023 02:33:13 +0000 The appointment of a new head coach for China’s men’s football team and the resumption of the Chinese Super League should make this an exciting time for the country’s long-suffering fans. But the attempt by the sport to recover from the impact of the pandemic has been overshadowed by the biggest corruption scandal in a decade. The investigation is growing, with implications for the sports sector generally. One of the officials investigated is Du Zhaocai, deputy head of the nation’s sports... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216981/corruption-needs-red-card-if-china-be-sporting-powerhouse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3216981/corruption-needs-red-card-if-china-be-sporting-powerhouse?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Apr 2023 14:48:16 +0000 The Chinese Football Association has suspended seven clubs from involvement in the forthcoming league season for failing to pay wage arrears. A statement on the governing body’s website on Thursday said that it had disqualified the clubs from league registration. Three of the seven played in last season’s Chinese Super League: Wuhan Yangtze, Hebei FC and Guangzhou City – known between 2011 and 2020 as Guangzhou R&F. The other four are Shaanxi Chang’an Athletic, Beijing BSU, Zibo Cuju and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3216373/chinese-football-crisis-again-7-clubs-are-barred-league-over-unpaid-wages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3216373/chinese-football-crisis-again-7-clubs-are-barred-league-over-unpaid-wages?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Apr 2023 00:00:29 +0000 The Chinese Super League suffered another blow after Guangzhou City announced they are suspending operations and will not take part when the new season makes its expected return next month. City, who finished 15th last year to retain their place in China’s top flight, are one of eight teams who competed in the country’s professional pyramid last season to be disqualified ahead of the 2023 campaign. They were absent from a Chinese Football Association list issued on Wednesday detailing the 48... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3215423/chinas-football-woes-continue-guangzhou-city-cease-operations-weeks-new-csl-season-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3215423/chinas-football-woes-continue-guangzhou-city-cease-operations-weeks-new-csl-season-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Mar 2023 09:46:03 +0000 Alleged corruption at the top of Chinese football has left President Xi Jinping’s dream of his country becoming a global force in the sport appear more remote than ever. China’s most powerful leader in decades is a self-proclaimed football fan and wants his nation to host and even one day win the World Cup. Chinese clubs a few years ago made headlines for spending huge sums on foreign players, but dozens of teams have since folded under the pressure of financial woes and zero-Covid... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3210687/corruption-scandal-deals-new-blow-xi-jinpings-chinese-football-dream?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3210687/corruption-scandal-deals-new-blow-xi-jinpings-chinese-football-dream?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Feb 2023 06:54:40 +0000 Hong Kong boss Jorn Andersen said the city’s three top clubs should join the Chinese Super League, and were already capable of taking on mainland sides. Andersen believes doing so would improve the standard of the city’s players and the national team, which under his guidance has qualified for this year’s Asia Cup for the first time since 1968. In an interview with the Post, the Norwegian also called on the Hong Kong Premier League to become more professional and said doing so could help attract... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3210590/hong-kong-boss-andersen-backs-citys-top-sides-joining-chinese-super-league-says-move-will-raise?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3210590/hong-kong-boss-andersen-backs-citys-top-sides-joining-chinese-super-league-says-move-will-raise?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Feb 2023 10:00:10 +0000 The detention of a top executive of China Fortune Land Development is linked to a wider investigation involving the nation’s football officials for “suspected serious violations of discipline and law”, according to Chinese media reports. A Fortune Land executive confirmed the detention of co-president Meng Jing was connected to a broader probe involving Li Tie, a former coach of Hebei China Fortune Football Club, owned by the embattled developer, Lengjing, a Chinese investigative financial news... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3210304/detention-china-fortune-lands-co-president-linked-wider-probe-chinese-football-officials-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3210304/detention-china-fortune-lands-co-president-linked-wider-probe-chinese-football-officials-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Feb 2023 09:41:08 +0000