The Chinese Super League (CSL) appears to be unscathed by the ongoing wave of anti-corruption and anti-triadism in domestic soccer, despite the fall of many soccer association executives. The latest revelation is that the opening match of the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League is scheduled for the grand opening on the 15th of next month.
Looking back, under the strong impetus of the late Football Association chairman Chen Xuyuan, the number of Super League teams increased from 16 to 18 last season, and the total number of rounds in the season also increased from 30 to 34. However, the Chinese Super League has not been doing well in recent years, and Chen's expansion did not bring the expected splendor. The national soccer team's performance in the World Cup has deteriorated, and the quality of the league has plummeted. A number of clubs are facing varying degrees of salary arrears as a result of plummeting revenues, with many teams likely to call it a day this year. In light of this, the CFA has decided to restore the number of Chinese Super League teams to 16 for the 2023 season, with the intention that two teams will not be included in the new season. The first list of clubs to be announced included two clubs in Guangdong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou City, who are suspected to be casualties. At the end of last year, the Shenzhen team fell into a debt crisis, the accumulated debt up to 3.5 billion yuan, few companies are willing to take over such a huge debt, especially in the current soccer environment. Shenzhen team has also become the hardest hit by the anti-corruption storm, management and players such as Ding Yong, Zhang Lu, etc. were taken away for investigation, the dissolution seems to be just a matter of time. Guangzhou team is not as bad as the Shenzhen team in deep trouble, but the share reform work has stalled, the club financing has become a problem, the dissolution seems to become inevitable. Nevertheless, the Shenzhen and Guangzhou teams are still in normal training, this year whether the dissolution of the inconclusive. But the FA's decision to downsize the Chinese Super League seems to have hinted at the unfortunate fate of the second team. The downsizing of the Chinese Super League is undoubtedly a satire on the policies of former FA chairman Chen Xuyuan. During his time in power, many decisions and policies that violated the laws of soccer development were made, such as the "neutral name" policy, which greatly reduced the confidence of enterprises to invest in soccer, and the theory of "public welfare soccer" was even reduced to a laughing stock. The move to downsize the Chinese Super League proves once again that Chen Xuyuan's strategy of quick success and instant profits has failed completely. Ignoring the laws of soccer development will only end in failure. Although the number of teams has been reduced to 16, the opening of the new season of the Chinese Super League is still facing difficulties. The FA has extended the deadline for clubs to submit entry information to ensure the league runs smoothly. Looking ahead to the new season, the CSL will undoubtedly face more challenges. We look forward to clubs joining hands to help the league tide over the difficulties, guarding our soccer league and looking forward to a bright future for Chinese soccer.
