A screen shot of the press conference held in Beijing on January 29, 2026.

Chinese Super League (CSL) clubs Shanghai Shenhua, Shanghai Port and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger issued public apologies after being named among 13 domestic clubs penalized by the Chinese Football Association (CFA) on Thursday.

Shenhua and Tianjin have each been docked 10 points for the new season and fined 1 million yuan ($143,800), while defending champion Shanghai Port was deducted 5 points and fined 400,000 yuan. None of the 13 clubs were relegated, according to a press conference ­jointly held by China's Ministry of Public Security, the General Administration of Sport and the CFA in Beijing on Thursday. 

Former CFA president Chen Xuyuan, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for bribery in 2024, and former Chinese national team head coach Li Tie were among 73 people given lifetime bans from participating in football-related activities, it was announced at the press conference. Li, in 2024, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for giving and receiving bribes.

In its statement, Shanghai Shenhua said it respects and accepts the penalty decision. The club is acutely aware of the negative impact that its history of misconduct has had on the credibility of China's football industry and the order of professional leagues. It also extends its sincerest apologies to the fans who have consistently supported and trusted the club.

All 13 clubs, including nine in the top division, were penalized for violating sports ethics, undermining the spirit of sportsmanship, and engaging in improper transactions to seek illegitimate gains, according to the press conference. 

Shanghai Port said that the violations involved in this round of penalties occurred between 2014 and 2017 and were the result of club management personnel deviating from the standards of professional football and the spirit of sportsmanship, in contravention of the requirements for the healthy development of the industry. They reflect mismanagement and a lack of effective oversight during the club's early stages, as well as insufficient respect for industry rules. The club takes these lessons deeply to heart.

Such a large number of clubs and individuals being penalized is rare, but the move carries both positive significance and a strong warning effect. Sports authorities need to strengthen oversight and rectify the overall climate of the national football sector in order for Chinese football to improve, Wang Dazhao, a Beijing-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday. 

The CFA said that it will resolutely implement the decisions and arrangements of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and the State Council on advancing the development of football, consistently uphold a zero-tolerance stance and a sustained high-pressure approach to punishment, and ensure that any violations of rules or discipline in the football sector are investigated and dealt with case by case without leniency or tolerance.

Notably, six of the top seven ­finishers in last season's CSL have been penalized, with points deductions ranging from five to 10, leaving the title race wide open for the new season.

The 2026 CSL season will kick off on March 6 and last until November 8.

In the China League One, Meizhou Hakka, Changchun Yatai, Suzhou Dongwu and Ningbo FC were penalized with point deductions ranging from three to four points.

Detailing the second batch of punishments for the sport, the announcement marked China's latest efforts in its sweeping anti-corruption campaign within the football sector. 

In September 2024, the CFA announced at a press conference that 43 individuals were banned for life from participating in football-related activities for gambling and match-fixing, including South Korean player Son Jun-ho.