On December 1, 2021, the match schedule for the second stage (rounds 15-22) of the Super League of China's Football Association was officially announced to the public. This soccer feast will start in Guangzhou and Suzhou with 8 rounds of intense matches. It is reported that the Super League will be rekindled on December 12 and come to an end on January 4 of the following year. Teams will maintain a frequency of one match every three days, ensuring that matches in each division are played on the same day.
Over the next 23 days, the second phase of the Chinese Super League will see eight rounds of 64 matches. The eight teams in the Championship Group (made up of the top four teams from the first stage) and the Relegation Group (made up of the bottom four teams from the first stage) will play a double-round-robin tournament, while teams from the same division will no longer play each other.
Here are a few key points about the second phase of the Super League competition:
Although the tournament will still be played in two groups, points will be accumulated.
In the final standings at the end of the season, the title contenders are guaranteed at least 8th place even with lower points, while the relegation group is only 9th even with higher points.
The last two teams in the Super League will play in the Super League Play-Offs against the 3rd and 4th place teams in the Central League. The winners stay in the Super League and the losers are relegated to the First Division.
The AFC Champions League places will be allocated as 2+2, with the Super League champions and the AFC Cup winners going straight into the group stage, and the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the league taking part in the qualification play-offs. However, as only six teams in China will have AFC Champions League qualification next year, the allocation of places will be based on the ranking order of the Chinese Super League. Theoretically, Shenhua in the relegation group also has a chance to compete for AFC Champions League qualification.
Teams in the championship group include: Shandong Taishan, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Guangzhou City, Changchun Yatai, Shanghai Harbor, Beijing Guoan and Hebei.
Teams in the relegation group include: Henan Songshan Longmen, Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic, Cangzhou Lions, Qingdao, Shanghai Shenhua, Wuhan, Tianjin Jinmen Tigers and Dalian People.
