Chinese Super League (China)
The Chinese Super League (CSL) is the top professional football division in China.
Founded in 2004, it replaced the former Jia-A League as part of a major modernization effort
to professionalize and restructure Chinese football.
History and facts
Although professional football in China started in 1994, the Chinese Super League was formally established in 2004 with stricter licensing, better financial rules, and improved organizational structure.
The league gained global attention between 2015–2020 when clubs signed major international stars such as Oscar, Hulk, Carlos Tevez, Paulinho, Demba Ba, and Marek Hamšík.
Chinese clubs compete in the AFC Champions League and have won titles with Guangzhou Evergrande (now Guangzhou FC).
League system
The CSL is the top tier of Chinese football.
Relegation leads to China League One, while promotion into CSL also comes from League One
based on standings and licensing requirements.
Table 1. Chinese football league pyramid
| League | Tier |
|---|---|
| Chinese Super League (CSL) | 1 |
| China League One | 2 |
| China League Two | 3 |
| Chinese Champions League | 4 |
Below Tier 4 are regional and city-level leagues.
Stats
Teams with most CSL titles
Table 2. Most CSL titles
| Club | Titles |
|---|---|
| Guangzhou Evergrande / Guangzhou FC | 8 |
| Shandong Taishan | 4 |
| Shanghai Port | 2 |
| Beijing Guoan | 1 |
| Changchun Yatai | 1 |
Guangzhou Evergrande dominated Chinese football between 2011–2019.
Teams with most participation
Table 3. Clubs with most top-division seasons
| Club | Seasons |
|---|---|
| Beijing Guoan | 30+ |
| Shandong Taishan | 30+ |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 30+ |
| Changchun Yatai | 20+ |
| Shenzhen FC | 20+ |
Beijing Guoan and Shandong Taishan have been long-term pillars of Chinese football.
Audience
Stadium capacities
Table 4. Major CSL stadiums
| Team | Stadium | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Guoan | Workers' Stadium | 68,000 |
| Shanghai Shenhua | Hongkou Football Stadium | 33,060 |
| Shandong Taishan | Jinan Olympic Sports Center Stadium | 56,000 |
| Guangzhou FC | Tianhe Stadium | 58,500 |
| Shanghai Port | SAIC Motor Pudong Arena | 37,000 |
Players
Famous players in CSL history
- Hulk
- Oscar
- Carlos Tevez
- Paulinho
- Marouane Fellaini
- Elkeson (Ai Kesen)
- Demba Ba
- Marek Hamšík
Chinese Super League timeline
1994
China launches its first professional league (Jia-A).
2004
The Chinese Super League (CSL) is officially founded.
2011
Guangzhou Evergrande begins historic dominance.
2013
Guangzhou Evergrande wins the AFC Champions League.
2016
CSL reaches global spotlight with high-profile transfers.
2020
COVID-19 forces the league to adopt a bubble format.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Super_League
https://csl-china.com
https://www.rsssf.org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Super_League
https://csl-china.com
https://www.rsssf.org
