- Chinese Super League
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This article is about the football league. For the table tennis league, see China Table Tennis Super League.
Chinese Super League (CSL) 
Countries 
ChinaConfederation AFC (Asia) Founded 2004 Number of teams 16 Levels on pyramid 1 Relegation to China League One Domestic cup(s) Chinese FA Cup International cup(s) AFC Champions League
(4 spots)Current champions Guangzhou Evergrande
(2011, 1st title)Most championships Shandong Luneng
(3 titles)Website CSL.Sina.com.cn 
2011 Chinese Super LeagueThe Chinese Football Association Super League (simplified Chinese: 中国足球协会超级联赛; traditional Chinese: 中國足球協會超級聯賽; pinyin: Zhōngguó Zúqiú Xiéhuì Chāojí Liánsài), commonly known as Chinese Super League (中超联赛) or CSL, currently known as the Pirelli 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 five teams: Shenzhen Jianlibao, Dalian Shide, Shandong Luneng, Changchun Yatai, and Beijing Guoan. The current Super League champions are Shandong Luneng.
Promotion and relegation take place between the Super League and the second tier China League One. There were no relegations in the first 2 seasons of the league in a bid to expand the league. Chongqing Lifan became the first team to be relegated in 2006 after finishing bottom of the table for 3 consecutive seasons.
Contents
Overview
Competition format
Unlike in many top European leagues, the CSL starts at February-March and ends at November-December. In each season, each club plays each of the other clubs twice, once at home and another away. In 2004, there were 12 clubs in the Super League, so the teams played 22 games each for a total of 132 games in the season. In 2005, there were 14 clubs in the league, so the teams played 26 games each for a total of 182 games in the season. With 15 teams in the league in 2006, each team had to play 28 games in the season for 210 games in total.[1]
From 2008 onwards, at the end of each season the two lowest placed teams are relegated into the Chinese Football Association Jia League and the top two teams from the Jia League are promoted in their place.
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. Since 2007, the FA Cup has not taken place, meaning the top four teams in the league have represented China PR in the AFC Champions League.
Sponsorship
The first title sponsor of the league was Siemens. Following a controversial first season, Siemens did not renew its multi-million dollar sponsorship of the league. The start of the second season in 2005 had to be delayed a month in order to find new sponsors. When no title sponsor was found the League was simply called the Chinese Football Association Super League.
- 2004 Season: Siemens (Siemens Chinese Super League)
- 2005 Season: No sponsor (Chinese Football Association Super League)
- 2006 Season: iPhox (iPhox Chinese Super League)
- 2007 to 2008: Kingway (Kingway Chinese Super League)
- 2009 to 2010: Pirelli (Pirelli Chinese Super League)
- 2011: Wanda Plaza (Wanda Plaza Chinese Super League)
Foreign players
Main article: List of foreign Chinese Super League playersProfessional footballers in China receive relatively high salaries both 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 make up 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 four foreign players on the field each game including a least one player from the AFC country. This is to promote native player improvement and to conform to rules regarding international club competitions in the AFC.
Players came from Hong Kong, Macau and Chinese Taipei were deemed as native players in CSL.
History
The CSL was founded in 2004 as a replacement for the previous Division 1 (Jia-A, or 甲A) league, with 12 teams in the league. The inaugural season was plagued with grave controversy.
The original plan was to have one relegation and two promotions for the 2004 season and 2005 season, thus increasing the number of teams in 2006 to 14. But the FA'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 the Jia League. 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 planned to be expanded to 16 teams as well but once again, it found itself 1 team short. Shanghai United F.C.'s owner, Zhu Jun bought a major share from local rival Shanghai Shenhua and merged the 2 teams. As a result, Shanghai Shenhua retained its name as it already had a strong fanbase in the city, while Shanghai United F.C. was pulled out from the league.
Current Super League clubs
Club Chinese name Home stadium Capacity Seasons in CSL Best finish Worst finish Spell in level 1 Beijing Guoan 北京国安 Workers Stadium 62,000[2] 2004 to 2011 1st, 2009 7th, 2004 from 1991 Changchun Yatai 长春亚泰 Changchun City Stadium 25,000[3] 2006 to 2011 1st, 2007 9th, 2010 from 2006 Chengdu Blades 成都谢菲联 Chengdu Sports Centre 39,225 2008 to 2009, 2011 7th, 2009 13th, 2008 from 2011 Guangzhou Evergrande 广州恒大 Tianhe Stadium 60,000 2008 to 2009, 2011 7th, 2008 9th, 2009 from 2011 Dalian Shide 大连实德 Jinzhou Stadium 30,775[4] 2004 to 2011 1st, 2005 14th, 2008 from 1990 Hangzhou Greentown 杭州绿城 Yellow Dragon Sports Center 52,672[5] 2007 to 2011 4th, 2010 15th, 2009 from 2007 Henan Construction 河南建业 Hanghai Stadium 29,000[6] 2007 to 2011 3rd, 2009 12th, 2007 from 2007 Jiangsu Sainty 江苏舜天 Nanjing Olympic Sports Center 61,443[7] 2009 to 2011 10th, 2009 11th, 2010 from 2009 Liaoning Whowin 辽宁宏运 Jinzhou City Stadium 24,000 2004 to 2008, 2010 to 2011 4th, 2004 15th, 2008 from 2010 Nanchang Hengyuan 南昌衡源 Nanchang Bayi Stadium 26,000[8] 2010 to 2011 13th, 2010 13th, 2010 from 2010 Qingdao Jonoon 青岛中能 Qingdao Tiantai Stadium 20,525[9] 2004 to 2011 7th, 2005 14th, 2006, 2010 from 1997 Shaanxi Renhe Commercial Chanba 陕西人和 Shaanxi Province Stadium 47,565[10] 2004 to 2011 3rd, 2004 13th, 2007 from 2002 Shandong Luneng 山东鲁能 Shandong Provincial Stadium 43,700[11] 2004 to 2011 1st, 2006, 2008, 2010 4th, 2009 from 1994 Shanghai Shenhua 上海申花 Hongkou Stadium 33,060[12] 2004 to 2011 2nd, 2005, 2006, 2008 10th, 2004 from 1982 Shenzhen Ruby 深圳红钻 Shenzhen Stadium 32,500[13] 2004 to 2011 1st, 2004 14th, 2007 from 1998 Tianjin Teda 天津泰达 TEDA Football Stadium 36,390[14] 2004 to 2011 2nd, 2010 6th, 2004, 2006, 2007 & 2009 from 1999 - For a list of all clubs past and present see List of Chinese Super League clubs.
Super League 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 - For a list of champions in Chinese professional football league, see Chinese football champions.
- For all-time league table, see All-time Chinese Super League table.
Top scorers
Season Top scorer Club Goals 2004 
Kwame AyewShaanxi Chan-Ba 17 2005 
Branko JelićBeijing Guoan 21 2006 Li JinyuShandong Luneng 26 2007 Li JinyuShandong Luneng 15 2008 
Éber LuísTianjin Teda 14 2009 
Hernán Barcos
Luis RamírezShenzhen Asia Travel
Guangzhou GPC17 2010 
Duvier RiascosShanghai Shenhua 20 2011 MuriquiGuangzhou Evergrande 16 - For all-time top scorer, see Football records in China.
Reserve League champions
In Jia-A period, the reserve League was called "Olympic League" or "Coca-Cola League", there was no reserve league in 2004 & 2005 CSL season. and resumes in 2006, the league opens to all of the reserve teams from CSL and China League clubs.
Season Winners 2006 Shandong Luneng 2007 Tianjin Teda 2008 Wuhan Optics Valley 2010 Shandong Luneng 2011 Shandong Luneng Youth League champions
Like the Reserve League, the Adidas Youth League is open to youth teams of all professional clubs. It was called Nike league in 2005.
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 Defunct Shandong Luneng Shanghai Luckystar See also
- Chinese Jia-A League
- China League One
- China League Two
- Chinese FA Cup
- Football in China
- Chinese Football Association
- Chinese football champions
- Football records in China
- All-time Chinese Super League table
- Chinese clubs in the AFC Champions League
References
- ^ 中超联赛简介-搜狐体育
- ^ 北京工人体育场全面改造 可容纳62000名观众_深圳新闻网新闻中心
- ^ 长春亚泰足球俱乐部主场移迁经开体育场
- ^ 大连队新球场选址确定 欲建全国最现代化的球场-搜狐体育
- ^ 2007女足世界杯赛场巡礼 - FIFA 2007中国女足世界杯 - 华奥星空网
- ^ 河南建业足球俱乐部_百度百科
- ^ http://www.zzadmin.com/fa/view25855.asp
- ^ "深足推迟进入河南建业主场 国脚参赛已成泡影". Sina official website. http://sports.sina.com.cn/j/2005-06-08/08271601676.shtml. Retrieved 2007-12-23.
- ^ 天泰体育场_百度百科
- ^ 陕西中新浐灞足球队_百度百科
- ^ 山东省体育中心体育场
- ^ :::: 上海市地方志办公室 ::::
- ^ 深圳市体育场_百度百科
- ^ 天津泰达足球场_百度百科
External links
- Official site of the Chinese Super League (Chinese)
- Official site of the Chinese Football Association (Chinese)
- China League and Cup History on RSSSF (English)
- China League and Cup History at The Chinese Soccer Statistics Collection (Chinese)
Chinese Super League 2011 clubs Beijing Guoan · Changchun Yatai · Chengdu Blades · Dalian Shide · Guangzhou Evergrande · Hangzhou Greentown · Henan Construction · Jiangsu Sainty · Liaoning Whowin · Nanchang Hengyuan · Qingdao Jonoon · Shaanxi Renhe · Shandong Luneng · Shanghai Shenhua · Shenzhen Ruby · Tianjin TedaSeasons Football in China Chinese Football Association National teams League system Domestic cups Awards Lists List of Chinese international footballers · List of clubs · List of venues · Foreign players · All-time TableMen's clubs · Women's clubs · Men's players · Women's players · Expatriate footballers · Managers · Referees · Venues · Records Top level football leagues of Asia (AFC) Afghanistan · Australia · Bahrain · Bangladesh · Bhutan · Brunei · Cambodia · China PR · Chinese Taipei · East Timor · Guam · Hong Kong · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Japan · Jordan · Korea DPR · Korea Republic · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Lebanon · Macau · Malaysia · Maldives · Mongolia · Myanmar · Nepal · Northern Mariana Islands† · Oman · Pakistan · Palestine: Gaza Strip West Bank · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · Singapore · Sri Lanka · Syria · Tajikistan · Thailand · Turkmenistan · United Arab Emirates · Uzbekistan · Vietnam · Yemen† Provisional Associated Member Categories:- Chinese Super League
- Summer association football leagues
- National association football premier leagues
- Football leagues in China
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