Chinese Professional Football League

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Chinese Professional Football League中国足球职业联赛联合会

Abbreviation| CFL (中足联)
Formation| 23 January 2025; 6 months ago (23 January 2025)

Chairman

| Li Kemin
Website| csl-china.com
Chinese Professional Football League

Simplified Chinese| 中国足球职业联赛联合会
Traditional Chinese| 中國足球職業聯賽聯合會
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Zhōngguó Zúqiú Zhíyè Liánsài Liánhéhuì
CFL

Simplified Chinese| 中足联
Traditional Chinese| 中足聯
| Transcriptions

Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin| Zhōngzúlián

The Chinese Professional Football League[a] (Chinese: 中国足球职业联赛联合会; pinyin: Zhōngguó Zúqiú Zhíyè Liánsài Liánhéhuì), abbreviated as CFL (Chinese: 中足联; pinyin: Zhōngzúlián), is an independent federation aimed at operating all levels of China's professional football leagues, overseeing the Chinese Super League (CSL), China League One, and China League Two.[3] Established in 2025, it replaced the Chinese Football Association (CFA)'s direct management of leagues to improve governance and financial sustainability.[4]

The CFL was created under China's 2015 football reform plan to decentralize league operations. It manages commercial rights, scheduling, and promotion/relegation, while the CFA retains regulatory powers. The league aims to curb corruption and overspending.

## History

[edit]

2015: The State Council's "Football Reform Plan" proposes separating league management from the CFA.[citation needed]

2022–2024: Anti-corruption crackdown arrests 13 CFA officials, including former chairman Chen Xuyuan.[citation needed]

2025: CFL officially launches with 56 clubs across three tiers. The inaugural council includes representatives from clubs, media, and legal experts.[citation needed]

## League structure

[edit]

The CFL operates three tiers:

1\. Chinese Super League (16 teams)

2\. China League One (16 teams)

3\. China League Two (24 teams): Includes reserve squads (e.g., Shandong Taishan B) and promoted Chinese Champions League teams.

## Footnotes

[edit]

1. ^ 中国足球职业联赛联合会 literally means "Chinese Professional Football League Union" instead of "Chinese Professional Football League".[1] In fact, "Chinese Professional Football League" is the translation of 中国足球职业联盟 (or 中国职业足球联盟), the name proposed during the organization's preparation phase.[2]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "China to establish professional football league union, says CFA chief". chinadailyhk. Retrieved 2025-01-27.
2. ^ "重磅：职业联盟全面夺权足协 不能任其成自由王国". www.titan24.com. Retrieved 2025-01-29.
3. ^ "China establishes independent federation to run professional football leagues".
4. ^ "中足联负责人：职业联赛管办分离改革迈出实质性步伐". www.jfdaily.com. Retrieved 2025-01-27.

## External links

[edit]

* CFL Coverage on Sohu Sports
* Chinese Football Association

* v
* t
* e

Football in China

Chinese Football Association * Chinese Professional Football League

National teams|

| men:|

* Men's (Results)
* players
* Men's B
* Olympic (U-23), Selection (U-21)
* U-20
* U-17
* U-14
* Beach
* Futsal

|

women:|

* Women's (Results)
* players
* U-20
* U-17
* U-14
* Futsal

League system|

| men:|

* Super League
* League One
* League Two
* CMCL
* Fifth-tier
* Zhejiang

|

women:|

* Women's Super League
* Women's League One

youth:|

* China Youth Football League

Domestic cups|

| men:|

* CFA Cup
* Super Cup
* ~~Super League Cup~~
* National Games

|

women:|

* Women's Championship
* Women's FA Cup
* Women's Super Cup
* National Games

Regional tournaments|

| men:|

* Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup
* ~~Hong Kong–Shanghai Inter Club Championship~~
* Jiangsu Football City League
* Jingjinji Champions Cup

|

women:|

* Women Guangdong–Hong Kong Cup

International tournaments|

| men:|

* China Cup
* ~~Four Nations Tournament~~
* Panda Cup (U-19)

|

women:|

* Four Nations Tournament
* Yongchuan International Tournament
* CFA International U19 Women’s Football Tournament
* CFA International U16 Women’s Football Tournament

Awards|

* Chinese Football Association Footballer of the Year

Lists|

* List of clubs
* List of venues
* Foreign players
* All-time Table
* Clubs in Champions League

* Men's clubs
* Women's clubs
* Men's players
* Women's players
* Expatriate footballers
* Managers
* Referees
* List
* in the Chinese Super League
* in FIFA competitions
* Venues
* Records
* Women's football in China
* Youth football in China

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