The 2023 Professional League Club Heads Meeting and the Summit of the Heads of Chinese Super League, Chinese First Division and Chinese Second Division Clubs were held at the Xianghe National Team Base today. The meeting was informed of the arrangements and policy adjustments for the new professional league season. The new season of the three-tier professional league is scheduled to start from mid-April and the home and away match system will be fully restored. The league size and promotion rules depend on access. Notably, the U21 ladder team will replace the reserve team as one of the entry requirements for Chinese Super League clubs.The winning team of the 2023 U21 League will be upgraded to participate in the 2024 Chinese B League.
In addition, the policy of at least one U23 player has been officially canceled in the new season of the Chinese Super League. On the other hand, from the 2023 season onwards, A and B clubs will be conditionally accepted to submit applications to change their registered member associations. However, certain conditions must be met and it is prohibited to transfer first and then report.
The content of the meeting is in part as follows:
New Super League season scheduled to open in mid-April
The new season of the Chinese Super League is scheduled to open in mid-April, the new season of the Chinese First League is scheduled to open in mid- to late-April, and the Chinese Second League is scheduled to open from mid-April to early May. The club access period is from February 10 to March 20, and the access system closes on March 3rd.
Division III returns to home-and-home format with number of teams to be determined
The 2023 season saw a full return to home-and-away in the Premier League and the Chinese League A, while the Chinese League B adopted a split home-and-away format.
League size and promotion rules depend on access.
Reserves removed from Super League clubs' entry requirements
Super League clubs team system from the previous "first team, a reserve team, U19" composition, U17, U15, U14, U13 five-level echelon adjusted to "first team", U19, U17, U15: U14, U136-level echelon The original reserve team (only involving the original reserve team of the Chinese Super League, China A clubs) was canceled and replaced by the U21 team. The Chinese League One and Chinese League Two have set up five-level and four-level ladder teams respectively. Clubs are allowed to cooperate with local schools to create club U15, U14 and U13 ladder teams.
Winning U21 League team to enter S.B.
All Chinese Super League clubs are required to participate in the U21 League (access condition), and Chinese First Division and Chinese Second Division clubs are encouraged to participate in the U21 League. 2023, the winning team of the U21 League (quota to be determined) will be promoted to the 2024 Chinese Second Division League, and the U21 League team will participate in the Chinese Second Division League in the form of the club's B-team after it is promoted to the Chinese Second Division League.
The registered players of the club's B team (after the promotion of the U21 League) to participate in the Chinese B League shall mainly be U23 players, with no more than 4 over-age players, and no more than 3 over-age players playing at the same time in each match (refer to the rules of the corresponding matches for the specific ages of the U23 players and the over-age players). Enrolled players and bench officials of the club's B team shall not represent the club's first team in the corresponding league or FA Cup at the same time.
Chinese Super League removes policy of at least one person on the field for U23s
Chinese Super League:Registered U21 players at least 5, clubs registered for more than 4 years (eliminating the U23 player presence requirement).
Central League: at least 5 registered U21 players, club registered for more than 4 years, one U21 player always present (one U21 player always present instead of one U23 player always present)
Central B (unchanged): at least 5 registered U21 players, 5 players from the region, U21 always present
C.B. Enrollment Policy May Change
Options for changes to the professional league registration policy were discussed, the first of which is ↓
Chinese Super League (CSL): Meanwhile 18-30[25 (including foreign aiders) +5 (this club has developed at least 5 U21 players); Cumulative: ≤40
Central League: simultaneous 18-30 [25 (including foreigners) + 5 (at least 5 U21 players); cumulative: ≤40
League B: Meanwhile 18-30 [at least 5 U21 players, 5 players from the region]. No more than 5 domestic players over 31. Cumulative: ≤35
Determination of principles for filling the qualification of professional leagues
1. Meet the requirements of the league admission standard: i.e. the club has submitted the admission application or supplementary application for the corresponding league level and has been reviewed by CFA to meet the admission standard of the corresponding league.
2. Meet competitive performance requirements:
1. In order to ensure the overall level of competition in the league, the competitive performance requirements for clubs will be strictly defined. In the event of a move up or down to promotion three and relegation three, the clubs eligible for supplemental qualification will be limited to the three clubs originally relegated in the previous season and the clubs ranked fourth to sixth in the lower divisions, and so on.
2. Clubs relegated consecutively will not be allowed to replace consecutively. If a club has been relegated in the first year of the league and replaces the original league in accordance with the relevant principles, if the league is still relegated in the second year of the league, no further replacements will be permitted and other clubs will be eligible for replacement in the order in which they are replaced.
