On January 6th, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced the list of clubs eligible for the 2025 season, with Guangzhou FC (Chinese Super League), Guangzhou Evergrande (China League One), and Hunan Billows (China League Two) notably absent. A total of 49 clubs have been granted eligibility.
The CFA has stated that clubs that failed to obtain eligibility due to wage arrears will be dealt with in accordance with regulations.
The official announcement from the CFA listed other matters as follows:
(1) Due to some clubs applying for changes in their registered member associations and club names, the CFA will issue a separate notice after the completion of relevant change procedures.
(2) For clubs that did not obtain eligibility due to wage arrears, the CFA will continue to follow up and handle them according to relevant regulations.
From the CFA's official announcement, it appears that the CFA is indeed serious about dissolving Guangzhou FC and has shown no mercy, directly ordering the team to disband and withdraw from the China League One.
The reason given by the CFA for dissolving Guangzhou FC does not hold water. On December 19th last year, the CFA published the second batch of debt repayment lists, showing that all teams in the three levels of professional leagues had completed debt repayments, including Guangzhou FC, Hunan Billows, and Cangzhou Mighty Lions.
Former players such as Wei Shihao, Yang Liyu, and Yan Dinghao formed a trio to demand wages, filing complaints against Guangzhou FC for still owing salaries. However, after communication, they have withdrawn their lawsuits.
Despite reaching a settlement, there were rumors that Guangzhou FC's eligibility was in doubt because the CFA was concerned that the team's financial problems would persist in the future and could not be resolved in the short term.
It seems that the CFA's decision to dissolve Guangzhou FC is based on concerns that the team's financial issues may continue in the future and cannot be resolved in the short term. This reason is akin to labeling Guangzhou FC with an unfounded accusation, clearly targeting the team. In football, no one can guarantee that any team will not encounter problems in the future, so why is the CFA worried that Guangzhou FC will not be able to resolve wage arrears in the future? This reasoning simply does not hold up!
According to the CFA's entry regulations, Guangzhou FC reached a settlement agreement with the players demanding wages, and once the entry process is complete, it should be considered complete. Guangzhou FC has done everything it should have done and reached an agreement, meeting the requirements and should have been granted eligibility. The CFA's subjective desire to worry about Guangzhou FC's inability to repay debts in the future is forcing the team into a desperate situation.
As a result, if the first batch of clubs eligible for entry by the CFA is the final version, Guangzhou FC will be forced to disband, and the players and coaches demanding wages will receive nothing.
Journalist Xiao Nan revealed that the CFA's notice did not include the word "publicity," and if there are no surprises, teams not on the list will not participate in the new season's league.
In the closing match of the 2024 season at Guangzhou's home stadium, fans celebrated the season's journey with the players after the game. In the second season of relegation, Guangzhou fans remained loyal, with banners in the stands reading — "Only 30 years away from a century-old team with a legitimate lineage."
Several media figures have sparked heated discussions about the dissolution of Guangzhou FC.
Cheng Wenli: Chinese football finally announced the entry list for the new season today, with Cangzhou Mighty Lions and Guangzhou FC failing to pass. I wonder if the teams will be disbanded?
This outcome allows Shenzhen Youth, who finished third in the China League Two, to be promoted to the China League One for the 2025 season. In the upcoming season, Shenzhen will have teams competing in the Chinese Super League, China League One, and China League Two, namely Shenzhen New Pengcheng, Shenzhen Youth, and Shenzhen 2028. With several other Chinese Champions League teams, this should create history for Shenzhen football, right? I wonder if any other cities have had local teams in four different leagues?
Li Xuan: It's both a miscarriage of justice and not. There are many clubs on the entry list that have only made accounts but have not actually paid off their arrears. It's also not a miscarriage of justice because who made you have long-term arrears, causing the players to lose patience?
Pei Li: Guangzhou is building the Guangdong Provincial Sports Museum, and there is a saying that if Guangzhou FC dissolves, the team's 17 championship trophies, including eight Chinese Super League titles, two AFC Champions League titles, two Chinese FA Cup titles, four Chinese Super Cups, and one China League One title, will find a permanent home at the Guangdong Sports Museum.