NINE teams began on minus points as the new Chinese Super League season kicked off this weekend.
The Chinese Football Association handed out heavy sanctions amid a comprehensive corruption investigation.
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger and last season’s runners-up Shanghai Shenhua were handed the biggest penalties, being deducted 10 points and fined one million yuan (£104,000) respectively.
A Chinese FA statement said that the investigation took into account “match-fixing, gambling, and corruption in the football industry”.
Thirteen clubs were punished as part of the probe, with four of these teams having already been relegated to China League One.
In addition to clubs being punished, 75 officials have been handed lifetime football bans.
NOTT FOR NOW
Sean Dyche offered immediate return to manage but ‘will question next move’
AWESOME FOURSOME
Templegate tips up his HUGE 811-1 Cheltenham Festival four-fold
These include former Everton midfielder and Chinese national team manager Li Tie.
In December 2024, Li, 48, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after confessing to giving and receiving more than £12.6million in bribes, while also helping to fix matches.
Chen Xuyuan, who served as president of China’s Football Association between 2019 and 2023 has also been banned for life.
The 69-year-old is serving a life sentence in prison having pleaded guilty in 2024 to taking bribes worth $11.2million (£8.3m).
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
The Chinese Super League experienced an incredible financial boom during the 2010s, with most of the clubs backed by financial conglomerates.
High-profile stars including the likes of Oscar, Hulk, Marouane Fellaini and Marko Arnautovic joined the league.
The period of lavish spending ended in 2020, however, when the Chinese FA introduced new salary caps.
Under those rules, foreign player salaries were capped at £2.7million per year – around £52,000 per week.
Several teams also had to change their names ahead of the 2021 season, with clubs told to remove sponsors from their official titles.
The Chinese Super League now looks very different – with former stalwarts Guangzhou Evergrande, Hebei China Fortune, Jiangsu Suning, Dalian Yifang and Guangzhou R&F all having folded in recent years.
There are now hardly any recognisable names for English football fans, with Oscar the last big star to depart when he bid Shanghai a tearful farewell at the end of the 2024 season.
Former Arsenal midfielder Nico Yennaris – known by his Chinese name Li Ke – plays for Shanghai Shenhua.
While ex-Everton and England Under-21 defender Tyias Browning – Chinese name Jiang Guangtai – is a stalwart for Shanghai Port and the China national team.