By Kazeem Ajibola Shoyebo
China’s football authorities have launched one of the most sweeping anti-corruption crackdowns in the sport’s recent history, imposing lifetime bans on 73 individuals and docking league points from 13 professional clubs following extensive investigations into match-fixing, gambling, bribery and related corruption. The sanctions, announced jointly by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) with government agencies in Beijing, aim to “purify the football environment” and restore integrity to the game after years of scandal and misconduct.
Among those permanently barred from football-related activities are former CFA president Chen Xuyuan and ex-national team coach Li Tie, both already serving lengthy prison sentences for bribery convictions. The CFA’s disciplinary actions also affect clubs across the Chinese Super League (CSL) and China League One, with a total of 72 points deducted from teams’ standings and fines totalling around ¥7.2 million (approximately $1.04 million).
Of the 16 teams that competed in the 2025 CSL season, 11 will face point deductions and fines next season. As a result of relegations and sanctions, nine CSL clubs will begin the 2026 campaign with negative point totals, a historic situation that could dramatically reshape the competitive landscape when the season kicks off in March.
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger and Shanghai Shenhua (runners-up in 2025) were hit hardest, each docked 10 points and fined ¥1 million.
Shanghai Port, champions for the past three seasons, will start with –5 points and a ¥400,000 fine, the same penalty applied to Beijing Guoan.
Clubs in China League One — including Meizhou Hakka, Changchun Yatai, Suzhou Dongwu and Ningbo FC also face point deductions, ranging from three to four points, along with fines.
This crackdown represents the latest phase of China’s ongoing fight against corruption in football and follows similar actions in 2024 when dozens of other league figures were sanctioned. The CFA stated that club penalties were determined “based on the amount, circumstances, nature, and social impact of the improper transactions involved,” reaffirming a zero-tolerance policy toward misconduct in the sport.
The dramatic sanctions come amid wider struggles for financial and competitive stability in Chinese club football — a backdrop that includes the folding of historic powerhouse Guangzhou FC in 2025 after unresolved debt issues.
As the 2026 season approaches, the spectre of negative point starts for leading sides marks an extraordinary reset in Chinese professional football — one that could redefine the league’s balance and send a strong message about accountability and fair play.
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