On June 22, 2021, veteran sports journalist Chen Yong, discussing the scheduling of the current season's Chinese Super League, pointed out that shortening the schedule would have a far more negative impact on the league than the absence of national team players.
Chen Yong elaborates further in his article:
Does the professional league of the CFA realize that strategies such as compressing the schedule to 22 rounds, a cross-year season, or even further downsizing to 15 rounds can have a devastating effect on the league far beyond the impact of national team players not being able to compete?
Perhaps the ideal solution would be to maintain the league's regular 30-round schedule while national team players are suspended for the three-month period of September, October and November.
The move will mainly affect the championship goals of four clubs, including Taishan, Guangzhou Guoan and Seaport, but such a sacrifice is undoubtedly smaller compared to making all clubs suffer and even the whole league in trouble.
