July 26 – The Chinese Super League has been plunged into potential chaos after 13 clubs were ordered to clear debts on transfers and pay outstanding wages or risk being banned from next season.
The warning came in a letter from the Chinese FA after reportedly being sparked by another letter sent to the FA by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stating clubs had until August 31 to clear all outstanding payments or face exclusion from next year’s Asian Champions League.
As well as the 13 top-flight clubs, four from the second division and one from the third were named in the CFA missive which reportedly claimed all 18 had outstanding debts. They include Shanghai Shenhua, Tianjin Quanjin, Jiangsu Suning, Shandong Luneng, Beijing Guoan, Jiangsu Fighting and six-time champions and two-time Asian Champions league winners Guangzhou Evergrande who collectively employ some of the biggest overseas names in the CSL.
A spokesman for the AFC told Reuters that the letter issued by the confederation was sent to all member associations and was not directly targeted at Chinese clubs.
But the Chinese directive was unequivocal saying the clubs concerned “must pay close and urgent attention to the matter and solve the debt problem, before submitting evidence … to CFA once they are done.
“Those who fail to solve the debt problem or miss the deadline will be disqualified from any China professional football leagues from 2018, according to the CFA professional league club entry requirements and review guidelines.”
Many of the clubs involved, including Shanghai SIPG who paid £60 million for Brazilian midfielder Oscar in January, issued statements denying they were in arrears but Chinese football authorities have recently cracked down on spending with new transfer rules and a ‘tax’ on big money buys from overseas, as well as penalties for loss-making clubs and a limitation on foreign players.
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