On March 28, with the admission list for the new third-tier league season about to be unveiled, veteran journalist Niu Zhiming offered insights into the size and direction of the current league landscape.
According to reliable sources, the access list for the 2023 season of the Chinese professional league will be unveiled early tomorrow morning, where there will be a grand press conference where media reporters will have the opportunity to listen to the information briefing on the spot and have the chance to ask questions to the people involved.
In response, reporter Niu hit the nail on the head:
"There are a few observations I'd like to share about access to Division III!
Firstly, the Chinese Super League is likely to be reduced to 16 teams, with Guangzhou City and Kunshan afraid of being axed, while the Chinese League One seems incapable of filling the vacancies.
Secondly, the situation in the Central League is particularly confusing.
Hebei and Wuhan were relegated from the Chinese Super League, leaving Zibo Cuju with only 15 teams due to unfinished debt settlement. In the order of the by-elections, the three teams relegated from China's first division would be the first to be handed in, followed by the fourth through sixth teams from China's second division. However, Xinjiang and Beijing Institute of Technology were disqualified due to consecutive relegations, and Beijing Sport University was also disqualified due to unfinished debt liquidation.
If the Central League maintains 18 teams, the replacement will be the fourth through sixth teams in Central League B, including Dongguan United, Wuxi Wu Hook and Tai'an Tianmiao.
We are also currently watching the fate of Shaanxi and Heilongjiang, whose final results will determine whether the Chinese A-League will be reduced to 16 teams.
If there is a problem with one of the teams, in order to keep the number of teams in double figures, sixth-placed Taian Tian in the Central B may not be able to fill the gap.
Now, everything depends on the final official determination."
