Despite the fact that the Chinese Super League is in its off-season, clubs are not idle. In order to return to the league next season, they will have to pass the strict scrutiny of the CFA.
It is reported that the Football Association has introduced a brand new AFC access system this year, which is much stricter than before. As a result, there is no room for error in the qualification of each club, and once a submission does not meet the requirements of the system, it will have a direct impact on the qualification for the next season.
The Chinese Super League (CSL) has been on a downward spiral since the "Golden Dollar Football" craze subsided. Despite the predictions every season that the league has bottomed out, the reality is often worse.
Affected by the real estate market downturn, the Football Association has introduced a number of policies in the past two years. Nowadays, Chinese Super League clubs are generally facing difficulties. According to soccer media disclosure, only three clubs among the 16 teams in the Chinese Super League this season did not have salary arrears.
Even Beijing Guoan, once the giants of the Chinese Super League (CSL), is in trouble and in debt. Parent company Sino Group has a tight financial chain and is struggling to fill the debt gap. And the payment of players' and coaches' salaries this season relies heavily on new sponsorship from the city government.
Beijing Guoan was once a rival of Guangzhou Evergrande, and other clubs are in an even tougher position. Recently, Zhejiang, Wuhan Three Town, Cangzhou Lions, Dalian and Shenzhen teams have been exposed to possible dissolution next year. In addition, some of the clubs hosted by the Sports Bureau, once the loss of support, to maintain the livelihood of the fear of becoming a problem.
Against this backdrop, numerous clubs were unable to submit their entry qualification materials on time. As in the past, the FA has once again extended the deadline for submission of materials. However, for clubs like Shenzhen with debts of up to 3.5 billion yuan, even a one-month extension may not result in the submission of qualified admission materials.
The internal operation of the club is full of problems, the Shenzhen team is also directly related to the external environment. As we all know, China's national soccer team has not been in the World Cup for many years, and the level is deteriorating. China's women's soccer team also shows a similar trend.
Under these circumstances, Chinese soccer has entered a new low. The enthusiasm of fans and media has dropped significantly, and the attention of the domestic league is far less than in the era of "golden dollar soccer". The neutral policy of the FA has also led to a decrease in the willingness of companies to invest in soccer. Without financial support, many Chinese Super League clubs are at risk of dissolution.
As a result, some members of the soccer industry say that the Chinese Super League has not yet bottomed out, and the clubs may have an even tougher time next year. Only when the old players retire and new players take up the mantle can the team's operating costs be truly reduced.
In other words, the clubs' salary structures need to be gradually rationalized after 3-4 years to achieve financial equilibrium. Until then, some clubs may announce their dissolution due to financial problems.
As a result, the Super League may face the dissolution of more clubs in the next two years. If there are no new Central League A clubs to fill the vacancies, the size of the league may be further reduced. In extreme cases, it may even go back to the size of 12 teams in the first year of the A...
