Despite the fact that the Chinese Super League is in its off-season, clubs still have a tight schedule. The reason for this is that in order to participate in next season's tournament, they must first pass the selection hurdle of the Football Association.
According to the news, this year's Football Association has launched a new AFC access system, which is far stricter than before. Therefore, the qualification work of the clubs can not be slack, once the submission does not meet the system standards, the next season's journey to the Chinese Super League will come to an abrupt end.
Since the bubble of "golden dollar soccer" burst, the Chinese Super League has entered a downward spiral. Every season, everyone thinks that the league has reached rock bottom, but in fact, the situation next season is likely to be even more serious.
Affected by the epidemic, the domestic real estate industry is in the doldrums, the Football Association has introduced a number of policies in the past two years. Nowadays, the Chinese Super League clubs are not having a good time. It is reported that among the 16 teams in the Chinese Super League this season, only three have not experienced wage arrears.
Even former Chinese Super League giants such as Beijing Guoan are now under financial pressure. Parent company Sino Group has a tight cash chain and is unable to fill its debt gap, while players' and coaches' salaries are paid, thanks in part to municipal government aid and new sponsors.
Beijing Guoan, which had been compared to Guangzhou Evergrande, and other clubs are in an even more worrying situation. Recently, Zhejiang team, Wuhan three towns, Cangzhou lions, Dalian team, Shenzhen team is rumored to be next year may be dissolved. In addition, some of the clubs supported by the local sports bureaus may find it difficult to continue once they lose support.
Against this backdrop, numerous clubs were unable to submit their access materials within the timeframe set by the FA. As in the past, the FA extended the deadline for submission of materials. However, lacking the relevant support, clubs with debts of up to 3.5 billion yuan, such as the Shenzhen team, were unable to submit qualifying materials even after a one-month extension.
In addition to internal operational problems, the Shenzhen team is also deeply affected by the external environment. As we all know, the national soccer team has not been able to reach the World Cup for many years, and the level has been declining. China's women's soccer team also shows a similar trend.
Against this backdrop, Chinese soccer has hit a low point, with the enthusiasm of fans and the media plummeting, and the league's attention falling far short of what it was during the period of "Golden Dollar Soccer". In addition, the neutral policy of the Football Association (FA) has reduced the willingness of enterprises to invest in soccer. The lack of corporate funding has made it difficult for clubs to survive on their own, and many Chinese Super League clubs face the risk of disintegration.
As a result, soccer insiders have recently pointed out that the Chinese Super League has not yet bottomed out, and life may be even tougher for clubs next year. Only with the retirement of old players and the rise of new players can team operating costs be truly reduced.
In other words, clubs will not be able to achieve financial equilibrium until they have rationalized their remuneration structures for 3-4 years. Before then, some of the clubs may have announced their dissolution and are unable to support themselves.
As a result, the number of Chinese Super League clubs disbanding in the next two years threatens to increase. The league may continue to shrink in size if there are no new Central League A clubs to fill the vacancies. In extreme cases, the 12-team lineup of the first year of the A-League may change drastically...
