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Revision as of 09:26, 28 February 2013

Chinese Super League
File:Chinese Super League Logo.png
Founded2004
Country China
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Number of teams16
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toChina League One
Domestic cup(s)Chinese FA Cup
International cup(s)AFC Champions League
(Four spots)
Current championsGuangzhou Evergrande
(2012, Second title)
Most championshipsShandong Luneng
(Three titles)
WebsiteCSL.sina.com.cn
Current: 2013 Chinese Super League

The Chinese Football Association Super League (Chinese: 中国足球协会超级联赛; pinyin: Zhōngguó Zúqiú Xiéhuì Chāojí Liánsài), commonly known as Chinese Super League (中超联赛) or CSL, currently known as the Wanda Plaza Chinese Football Association Super League for sponsorship reasons, is the highest tier of professional association football in China, operating under the auspices of the Chinese Football Association (CFA).

The Super League was created by the rebranding of the former top division Chinese Football Association Jia-A League in 2004. (see Chinese Jia-A League, not to be confused with Chinese Football Association Jia League, which is the current second tier league.)

Originally contested by 12 teams in the inaugural year, the league has been expanding. There are 16 teams in the current season. The title has been won by six teams: Shenzhen Jianlibao, Dalian Shide, Shandong Luneng, Changchun Yatai, Beijing Guoan,and Guangzhou Evergrande. The current Super League champions are Guangzhou Evergrande.

Overview

Unlike in many top European leagues, the Chinese Super League starts in February or March (spring in China) and ends in November or December (early winter). In each season, each club plays each of the other clubs twice, once at home and another away. The current system, with 16 clubs in the Super League, so the teams played 30 games each for a total of 240 games in the season.

The two lowest placed teams by the end of the season are relegated to the China League One and the top two teams from the League One are promoted, taking their places.

The top three of the league, as well as the winner of the Chinese FA Cup, qualify for the AFC Champions League of the next year. If the FA Cup finalists finish the league 3rd or higher, 4th place in the league will take the Champions League spot.

Foreign players

Professional footballers in China receive relatively high salaries when compared to other Chinese sports leagues and football leagues in other countries. As a result, numerous players from Serbia, Brazil, Honduras, and other Latin American regions are signed as the foreign players in the Chinese league. The league has rules, however, restricting the number of foreign players strictly to five per team, including a slot for a player from AFC countries. A team could use a maximum of four foreign players on the field each game. This is to promote native player improvement and to conform to rules regarding international club competitions in the AFC.

Players from Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei are deemed as native players in CSL. Hong Kong players were considered foreigners at the beginning of 2009 but the league hold back the change in summer transfer. After 2010 season, players from Hong Kong Macau and Taiwan were not considered foreigners in CSL matches, but will be regarded as foreigners in AFC competitions. During the middle of the 2012 season, it was decided that teams that were competing in the AFC Champions League were allowed to have to extra foreign players, which can bring the number of foreigners on a team's roster to seven.

Season Squad Per match Note
1994–2000 3 3
2001–2003 4 3 In 2001, foreign goalkeepers were restricted to play in matches.
2004–2006 3 2 After 2006, players from Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei were not considered as foreign players.
2007–2008 4 3
2009– 4+1 3+1 "+1" is Asian quota, which means teams can add a player from Asia that isn't from any regions outside from the region.

History

In 1994, the Chinese Jia-A League became the country's first professional football league. On October 29, 2000, Yan Shiduo, vice-president of the Chinese Football Association, talked about setting up a new professional league system. In 2002, the CFA made a decision to establish the Chinese Super League, which started in 2004.

Compared to the Jia-A, the CSL is a lot more demanding on teams. The CFA and CSL committee imposed a range of minimum criteria to ensure professional management and administration, financial probity, and a youth development program at every club. The second division, China League One, was also re-established under a new system. Besides the regular professional league, the CSL also has a reserve league, U-19 league, U-17 league and an U-15 league.

The CSL and China League One's goals are to promote high quality and high-level competition; introduce advanced managerial concepts to the market; enforce the delivery of minimum standards of professionalism; encourage the influx of more higher quality foreign coaches and players; and gradually establish the European system for player registrations and transfers.

The first CSL season began in 2004, with 12 teams in the league. The inaugural season was plagued with controversy, which continued from the former league, Jia-A. After 1998, scandals such as match fixing and gambling were uncovered. This resulted in loss of interest in the domestic game, low attendances and great financial losses.

The original plan was to have one relegated team and two promoted teams for the 2004 season and 2005 season, thus increasing the number of teams in 2006 to 14. But the CFA's decisions caused the relegations to be cancelled for these 2 years.

For the 2005 season, the league expanded to 14 teams after Wuhan Huanghelou and Zhuhai Zhongbang won promotion from China League One. The Zhuhai team, formerly Zhuhai Anping, had been bought by the Shanghai Zhongbang real estate company and relocated to Shanghai for the 2005 season, and subsequently renamed to Shanghai Zobon.

In 2006, the league was planned to expand to 16 teams with the newly promoted Xiamen Lanshi and Changchun Yatai. However, Sichuan Guancheng withdrew before the start of the season, leaving only 15 teams when the season started on March 11. Shanghai Liancheng Zobon, after another change of ownership, was renamed Shanghai United.

In 2007, the league was again planned to be expanded to 16 teams, but once again it found itself one team short. Shanghai United's owner, Zhu Jun, bought a major share in local rival Shanghai Shenhua and merged the two teams. As a result, Shanghai Shenhua retained its name as it already had a strong fanbase in the city, while Shanghai United pulled out of the league.

In 2008, the season started with 16 clubs participating for the first time, however Wuhan protested against punishments made by the CFA after a match against Beijing Guo'an, and announced its immediate withdrawal from the league, which left the season to finish with 15 clubs.

Since 2009, the league has run with 16 stable clubs participating in each year. Two are relegated to China League One, and two promoted from China League One each season.

In 2010, the CSL was beset by a scandal going right to the top of the CFA. The Chinese government took nationwide action against football gambling, match-fixing and corruption, and former CFA vice presidents Xie Yalong, Nan Yong and Yang Yimin were arrested.[1]

In 2011, the anti-corruption movement had visibly improved the image of the CSL, with increases to attendance. Clubs such as Guangzhou Evergrande and Shanghai Shenhua began investing heavily in foreign stars. After former Fluminense midfielder Darío Conca transferred in 2011, Some noticeable signings during the 2012 seasons include former Chelsea forward Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, former Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita and Fábio Rochemback, former Sevilla forward Frédéric Kanouté, former Blackburn Rovers forward Yakubu Aiyegbeni and former Borussia Dortmund forward Lucas Barrios. Former Japanese national team coach Takeshi Okada took up the reins as the new coach of Hangzhou Greentown, former Argentina national team coach Sergio Batista replaced Jean Tigana as Shanghai Shenhua's head coach, and former Italy national team and Juventus manager Marcello Lippi replaced Lee Jang-Soo as Guangzhou Evergrande's head coach.

Chinese Jia-A League seasons and champions

Season Winners
1994 Dalian Wanda
1995 Shanghai Shenhua
1996 Dalian Wanda
1997 Dalian Wanda
1998 Dalian Wanda
1999 Shandong Luneng
2000 Dalian Shide
2001 Dalian Shide
2002 Dalian Shide
2003 vacant

Chinese Super League seasons and champions

Season Winners Runners-up Third-place
2004 Shenzhen Jianlibao Shandong Luneng Inter Shanghai
2005 Dalian Shide Shanghai Shenhua Shandong Luneng
2006 Shandong Luneng Shanghai Shenhua Beijing Guoan
2007 Changchun Yatai Beijing Guoan Shandong Luneng
2008 Shandong Luneng Shanghai Shenhua Beijing Guoan
2009 Beijing Guoan Changchun Yatai Henan Construction
2010 Shandong Luneng Tianjin Teda Shanghai Shenhua
2011 Guangzhou Evergrande Beijing Guoan Liaoning Whowin
2012 Guangzhou Evergrande Jiangsu Sainty Beijing Guoan

Current clubs

Club Chinese name Home stadium Capacity Seasons in CSL Best finish Worst finish Spell in level 1 Top Division Titles (Overall) Top Division Titles (Professional) Last Title
Beijing Guoan 北京国安 Workers Stadium 66,161[2] 2004 - 2013 1st, 2009 7th, 2004 from 1991 8 1 2009
Changchun Yatai 长春亚泰 Development Area Stadium 25,000[3] 2006 - 2013 1st, 2007 9th, 2010 from 2006 1 1 2007
Dalian Aerbin 大连阿尔滨 Jinzhou Stadium 30,775[4] 2012 - 2013 5th, 2012 5th, 2012 from 2012 0 0
Guangzhou Evergrande 广州恒大 Tianhe Stadium 60,151[5] 2008 - 2009, 2011 - 2013 1st, 2011, 2012 9th, 2009 from 2011 2 2 2012
Guangzhou R&F 广州富力 Yuexiushan Stadium 18,000[6] 2004 - 2010,2012 - 2013 7th, 2012 16th, 2010 from 2012 0 0
Guizhou Renhe 贵州人和 Guiyang Olympic Sports Center 51,636[7] 2004 - 2013 3rd, 2004 13th, 2007 from 2002 0 0
Hangzhou Greentown 杭州绿城 Yellow Dragon Sports Center 52,672[8] 2007 - 2013 4th, 2010 15th, 2009 from 2007 0 0
Jiangsu Sainty 江苏舜天 Nanjing Olympic Sports Center 61,443 2009 - 2013 2nd, 2012 11th, 2010 from 2009 0 0
Liaoning Whowin 辽宁宏运 Tiexi New District Sports Center 30,000 2004 - 2008, 2010 - 2013 3rd, 2011 15th, 2008 from 2010 8 0 1993
Qingdao Jonoon 青岛中能 Qingdao Tiantai Stadium 20,525[9] 2004 - 2013 6th, 2011 14th, 2006, 2010 from 1997 0 0
Shandong Luneng 山东鲁能 Shandong Provincial Stadium 43,700[10] 2004 - 2013 1st, 2006, 2008, 2010 12th, 2012 from 1994 4 4 2010
Shanghai Shenhua 上海申花 Hongkou Football Stadium 33,060[11] 2004 - 2013 2nd, 2005, 2006, 2008 11th, 2011 from 1982 4 2 2003
Shanghai Shenxin 上海申鑫 Yuanshen Sports Centre Stadium 16,000 2010 - 2013 13th, 2010 15th, 2012 from 2010 0 0
Shanghai SIPG 上海上港 Shanghai Stadium 56,000 2013 - from 2013 0 0
Tianjin Teda 天津泰达 TEDA Football Stadium 37,450[12] 2004 - 2013 2nd, 2010 10th, 2011 from 1999 2 0 1980
Wuhan Zall 武汉卓尔 Xinhua Road Sports Center 32,137 2013 - from 2013 0 0

Attendances

Season averages

Season Total Attendance Games Average Change High avg. Team No. Of Clubs Relegation Slots
1994 2,155,000 132 16,326 -- 40,000 Sichuan Quanxing 12 2
1995 3,140,280 132 23,790 +45.7% 40,182 Sichuan Quanxing 12 2
1996 3,203,122 132 24,266 +2.0% 42,272 Jinan Taishan 12 2
1997 2,801,100 132 21,220 -14.4% 39,180 Sichuan Quanxing 12 2
1998 3,883,000 182 21,335 +0.5% 39,713 Shanghai Shenhua 14 2
1999 3,623,500 182 19,909 -7.2% 28,150 Sichuan Quanxing 14 2
2000 3,622,000 182 19,901 -0.1% 26,154 Dalian Shide 14 2
2001 3,329,872 182 18,296 -8.8% 38,700 Shanxi Guoli 14 -
2002 3,146,640 210 14,984 -22.1% 32,429 Beijing Guo'an 15 -
2003 3,719,700 210 17,710 +18.2% 30,500 Dalian Shide 15 3
2004 1,430,600 132 10,838 -63.4% 23,636 Shandong Luneng 12 -
2005 1,871,700 182 10,284 -5.4% 26,000 Shandong Luneng 14 -
2006 2,228,300 210 10,611 +3.2% 30,679 Shandong Luneng 15 1
2007 3,173,500 210 15,112 +42.4% 24,643 Shanxi Chanba 15 1
2008 3,065,280 228 13,444 -12.4% 26,501 Shandong Luneng 16 2
2009 3,854,115 240 16,059 +19.5% 36,805 Beijing Guo'an 16 2
2010 3,499,304 240 14,581 -10.1% 33,342 Beijing Guo'an 16 2
2011 4,236,322 240 17,651 +21.1% 45,666 Guangzhou Evergrande 16 2
2012 4,497,578 240 18,740 +6.2% 37,250 Guangzhou Evergrande 16 2

Attendance by clubs

This table lists average attendances of clubs yearly, but only for seasons when that club played in the top division. Clubs are listed with their current names.

Team Crowd average
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Beijing Guoan 10,864 18,923 13,571 21,571 14,641 36,805 33,342 40,397 36,879
Changchun Yatai - - 8,607 16,429 5,797 12,179 10,067 13,835 12,701
Chongqing Lifan 15,727 5,731 6,536 - - 11,440 11,433 - -
Chengdu Blades - - - - 12,378 11,873 - 6,443 -
Dalian Aerbin - - - - - - - - 15,774
Dalian Shide 11,273 14,000 5,043 10,286 7,900 16,613 12,307 17,148 11,093
Guangzhou Evergrande - - - - 19,624 20,057 45,666 37,250
Guangzhou R&F 5,000 2,077 2,750 10,571 6,645 8,498 10,152 - 8,460
Guizhou Renhe 8,455 4,385 17,286 24,643 24,625 23,026 28,053 27,836 29,574
Hangzhou Greentown - - - 19,571 12,188 14,790 14,550 8,586 10,563
Henan Jianye - - - 16,857 16,267 19,255 18,630 16,334 17,526
Jiangsu Sainty - - - - - 15,976 10,667 17,170 31,163
Liaoning Whowin 7,727 11,000 6,929 15,929 11,733 - 10,100 19,621 18,638
Qingdao Jonoon 4,645 4,500 6,071 7,179 6,600 8,774 6,247 8,464 9,538
Shandong Luneng Taishan 23,636 26,000 30,679 22,607 26,501 17,015 15,901 12,112 20,148
Shanghai Shenhua 13,636 12,462 12,786 11,393 11,510 12,627 12,963 9,828 14,761
Shanghai Shenxin - - - - - - 11,680 10,462 11,597
Shanghai United - 4,885 2,193 - - - - - -
Shenzhen Ruby 10,364 2,423 10,071 13,000 6,400 13,460 12,439 10,277 -
Sichuan Guancheng 5,545 5,477 - - - - - - -
Tianjin Teda 13,182 16,462 18,071 15,429 14,007 14,554 14,757 18,242 14,175
Wuhan Guanggu - 15,654 10,500 13,179 12,556 - - - -
Xiamen Lanshi - - 8,071 8,036 - - - - -
Whole season 10,838 10,284 10,611 15,112 13,444 16,059 14,581 17,651 18,740

Awards

The official Chinese Super league annual awards are given to players, managers and referees based on their performance during the season.

Most valuable player of the league

It is also named the "Mr. Football Golden Ball award".

Year Footballer Club Nationality
2004 Zhao Junzhe Liaoning Zhongyu  China
2005 Branko Jelic Beijing Guoan  Serbia
2006 Zheng Zhi Shandong Luneng  China
2007 Du Zhenyu Changchun Yatai  China
2008 Emil Martínez Shanghai Shenhua  Honduras
2009 Samuel Caballero Changchun Yatai  Honduras
2010 Duvier Riascos Shanghai Shenhua  Colombia
2011 Muriqui Guangzhou Evergrande  Brazil
2012 Cristian Dănălache Jiangsu Sainty  Romania

Golden Boot award

This award is awarded to the top goalscorer of the league that year.

Season Top scorer Club Goals
2004 Ghana Kwame Ayew Inter Shanghai 17
2005 Serbia Branko Jelić Beijing Guoan 21
2006 China Li Jinyu Shandong Luneng 26
2007 China Li Jinyu Shandong Luneng 15
2008 Brazil Éber Luís Tianjin Teda 14
2009 Argentina Hernán Barcos
Honduras Luis Ramírez
Shenzhen Asia Travel
Guangzhou GPC
17
2010 Colombia Duvier Riascos Shanghai Shenhua 20
2011 Brazil Muriqui Guangzhou Evergrande 16
2012 Romania Cristian Dănălache Jiangsu Sainty 23

There is also an award that is awarded to the top Chinese goalscorer of that season, which was first introduced in 2011.

Season Top scorer Club Goals
2011 China Yu Hanchao Liaoning Whowin 12
2012 China Wang Yongpo Shandong Luneng Taishan 10

Manager of the year

Year Manager Club Standings Nationality
2004 Zhu Guanghu Shenzhen Jianlibao Chinese Super League champions  China
2005 Vladimir Petrovic Pizon Dalian Shide Chinese Super League champions; Chinese FA Cup winners  Serbia
2006 Ljubisa Tumbakovic Shandong Luneng Chinese Super League champions; Chinese FA Cup winners  Serbia
2007 Gao Hongbo Changchun Yatai Chinese Super League champions  China
2008 Ljubisa Tumbakovic Shandong Luneng Chinese Super League champions  Serbia
2009 Tang Yaodong Henan Jianye Chinese Super League third place  China
2010 Branko Ivankovic Shandong Luneng Chinese Super League champions  Croatia
2011 Ma Lin Liaoning Whowin Chinese Super League third place  China
2012 Dragan Okuka Jiangsu Sainty Chinese Super League runners-up  Serbia

Youth player of the year

Year Footballer Club Nationality
2004 Chen Tao Shenyang Ginde  China
2005 Hao Junmin Tianjin Teda  China
2006 Wang Dalei Shanghai Liancheng  China
2007 Hao Junmin Tianjin Teda  China
2008 Huang Bowen Beijing Guoan  China
2009 Deng Zhuoxiang Jiangsu Sainty  China
2010 Zheng Zheng Shandong Luneng  China
2011 Song Wenjie Qingdao Jonoon  China
2012 Zhang Xizhe Beijing Guoan  China

Goalkeeper of the year

Year Footballer Club Nationality
2012 Deng Xiaofei Jiangsu Sainty  China

Sponsors

Sponsorships
Season Sponsor Annual Value Official League Name
1994 Marlboro $ 1.2 million[13] Marlboro Jia-A League
1995 Marlboro $ 1.32 million Marlboro Jia-A League
1996 Marlboro $ 1.44 million Marlboro Jia-A League
1997 Marlboro $ 1.56 million Marlboro Jia-A League
1998 Marlboro $ 1.68 million Marlboro Jia-A League
1999 Pepsi $ 10 million Pepsi Jia-A League
2000 Pepsi $ 11 million Pepsi Jia-A League
2001 Pepsi $ 12 million Pepsi Jia-A League
2002 Pepsi $ 13 million Pepsi Jia-A League
2003 Siemens Mobile $ 5 million Siemens Mobile Jia-A League
2004 Siemens Mobile € 8 million Siemens Mobile Chinese Super League
2005 No sponsor Chinese Football Association Super League
2006 IPhox € 6 million Iphox Chinese Super League
2007 Kingway Beer ¥ 36 million[14] Kingway Beer Chinese Super League
2008 Kingway Beer ¥ 38 million Kingway Beer Chinese Super League
2009 Pirelli € 5 million[15] Pirelli Chinese Super League
2010 Pirelli € 5 million Pirelli Chinese Super League
2011 Wanda Plaza ¥ 65 million[16] Wanda Plaza Chinese Super League
2012 Wanda Plaza ¥ 65 million Wanda Plaza Chinese Super League

Reserve league

The reserve league is open to all of the reserve teams from the Chinese Super League, China League One, and China League Two clubs.

Season Winners
2006 Shandong Luneng
2007 Tianjin Teda
2008 Wuhan Optics Valley
2009 Not held
2010 Shandong Luneng
2011 Shandong Luneng

Youth league

Like the reserve league, the youth league is open to all the youth teams of all professional clubs in China.

Season U-19 Champions U-17 Champions U-15 Champions
2004 Shanghai Shenhua Shandong Luneng Shandong Luneng
2005 Shandong Luneng Shandong Luneng Shandong Luneng
2006 Beijing Guoan Shandong Luneng Shandong Luneng
2007 Chongqing Lifan Shandong Luneng Shandong Luneng
2008 Beijing Guoan Changchun Yatai Shandong Luneng
2009 Shandong Luneng Changchun Yatai Wuhan FA
2010 Not held Shandong Luneng Shanghai Luckystar
2011 Beijing Guo'an Shanghai FA Hubei FA

See also

References