The 2026 Chinese Super League is right around the corner, but which teams will contest the top tier of Chinese football this season?
The league season begins on March 6th in China, and the Chinese Super League will look quite different to begin with, thanks to the sweeping punishments made during the off-season.
Nine of the 16 teams in the league have been handed points deductions for historic infractions, including gambling, match fixing, and general corruption – meaning the starting order of the league will not be alphabetical as is usually the case.
But who are the final eight teams set to contest the league this season? Where did they finish the 2025 season, and how many points have been deducted from them to start the year?
Qingdao West Coast
One of the few clubs not to receive any points deduction, Qingdao West Coast will be hoping to take advantage of the early points buffer over more than half of the league.
Ninth-placed finishers last season, the club saw head coach Shao Jiayi depart to take charge of the China National Team, with one of the true legends of the Chinese game, Zheng Zhi, taking the reins for 2026.
With his decades of playing experience and his spell as head coach of Guangzhou FC, before joining China as an assistant, Zheng Zhi should be well placed to impart knowledge and have Qingdao West Coast playing positive football this season.
A number of young Chinese players have arrived at the club, including Liu Xiaolong (Shanghai Port), Jia Weiwei, and Wang Tanyou (both Shandong Taishan), but so have plenty of domestic and import players who could have a positive impact on the first-team’s success.
Right back Dong Yu joins from Zhejiang, while goalkeeper Liu Shibo and attacking midfielder Peng Xinli have arrived from Shandong Taishan. The club also landed Hong Kong midfielder Barak Braunshtain from Lee Man.
On the import front, the club have been active. Davidson and Nelson da Luz return, while Bosnian centre back, and former Hebei and Beijing Guoan player, Samir Memisevic, has arrived at the club.
Alongside him is Brazilian defensive midfielder Rezende, who joins from EC Bahia, and forward Aziz Yakubu, who has officially joined the club on a permanent deal after a successful loan spell from Shimizu S-Pulse last season.
With the points advantage early on, the club will be hoping to push for a comfortable mid-table finish once again in Zheng Zhi’s debut season at the helm.
Last Season: 9th
Points Deducted: 0
Henan
Henan look set for a season of damage limitation after being handed a six-point deduction, with middle of the table likely to be the pinnacle of the team’s aims this year.
Portuguese coach Daniel Ramos remains in charge after guiding the team to 10th in the league last season, and he has predominantly worked on adding depth to the squad this offseason.
Yin Congyao has joined from Yunnan Yukun, Ablahan Haliq arrives from Shanghai Port, while loan deals have been signed for Nebijan Muhmet (Beijing Guoan) and Fan Xulin (Hubei Istar) respectively.
The attacking third has been the focus for the team’s import signings this year, with Brazilian striker Gustavo joining from reigning champions Shanghai Port, while Spanish winger Jordi Mboula has moved to China from Spanish Segunda División club Cultural Leonesa.
Brazilian defensive pairing Iago Maidana and Lucas Maia remain and will be looking to be the strong foundation the club can build around, seeking to pick up positive results early and put their deficit behind them quickly.
Last Season: 10th
Points Deducted: 6
Dalian Yingbo
Dalian Yingbo will be hoping for a more consistent and positive showing in the Chinese Super League in 2026, with too many points dropped on the road in 2025 seeing them finish just 11th.
Head coach Li Guoxu has been extremely active in the transfer market this time around, working hard to strengthen his squad and put together a team that could take full advantage of not suffering any point deductions.
Shandong Taishan’s Bi Jinhao, Yunnan Yukun’s Luo Jing, Changchun Yatai’s Zhang Huachen, Shanghai Port’s Li Ang, and even Liaoning Tieren’s Liu Weiguo have all joined the club this winter, providing plenty of depth, experience, and competition for places amongst the domestic players.
The only import addition the club has made, though, is experienced winger Frank Acheampong, who arrives with nearly 200 appearances in China’s top tier under his belt from spells with Henan, Shenzhen, and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.
With a bolstered squad, the hope will be for a top-half finish this time around, cementing their place in the league.
Last Season: 11th
Points Deducted: 0
Shenzhen Peng City
Owned by the City Group, Shenzhen Peng City looks to have received more direct investment from its owners ahead of the 2026 season.
The team’s kit is now sponsored by Etihad Airways, bringing Shenzhen in line with Manchester City’s kit, and it should provide further financial stability, which has led to some notable transfers this offseason.
The club has managed to bring in former Chengdu Rongcheng captain Tim Chow, along with former Shanghai Shenhua attacking midfielder Dai Wai-Tsun (known as Dai Weijun in Mandarin).
Shenzhen has also landed promising defender Xuan Zhijian from Changchun Yatai, with the 20-year-old having something of a breakout season in 2025.
Croatian centre-back Filip Benkovic, Albanian winger Albion Ademi, and Dutch winger Deabeas Owusu-Sekyere have all arrived at the club as new import players, joining from AIK, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, and Zhejiang, respectively.
Former China international Chen Tao remains in charge after taking over permanently last season, and he will be hoping to take advantage of the numerous points deductions with a strengthened squad that should be good for better than last year’s 12th-place finish.
Last Season: 12th
Points Deducted: 0
Wuhan Three Towns
Wuhan Three Towns was a club that many believed was destined to suffer dissolution due to ongoing financial struggles, yet some last-minute investment appears to have stabilised the club and sees it continue into the 2026 season.
However, the year will begin with the club looking to overcome a five-point deficit, with so many other clubs around them also vying for valuable points.
New head coach Benjamín Mora has brought in a variety of experienced players to help the club find stability this season, with former Shanghai Port defenders He Guan and Ming Tian, along with former Changchun Yatai right-back Li Shenyuan, all arriving this offseason.
Experienced goalkeeper Fang Jingqi has also joined from Tianjin Jinmen Tiger.
Venezuelan striker Jhonder Cadiz, Guadeloupian winger Kilian Bevis, Brazilian Adriano Firmino, and Camerounian centre-back Mbouri Yakam all make up a brand new group of import players for the club, helping Mora to makeover a team that has struggled since claiming the 2022 Chinese Super League title.
Mid-table would be a respectable finish for Wuhan, providing a foundation to build from with renewed stability.
Last Season: 13th
Points Deducted: 5
Qingdao Hainiu
Having finished last season in 14th position, narrowly avoiding relegation, and starting the 2026 season with a seven-point deficit, Qingdao Hainiu could be viewed as early favourites for the drop this season.
The club has worked hard in the transfer market this offseason, bringing in a number of experienced domestic players who could strengthen the team, particularly on the defensive side.
Sun Zheng’ao (Zhejiang), Zhang Wei (Shenzhen Peng City), Song Long (Shandong Taishan), and Wang Qiao (Shenzhen Peng City) are all new defenders for the club to draw on this year.
Hong Kong international defensive midfielder Ngan Cheuk-Pan has arrived from Tai Po, while experienced winger Liu Xinyu has joined from Henan.
New import signings include Swedish striker Carlos Strandberg, Ghanaian winger Yaw Yeboah, Moroccan midfielder Ahmed El Messaoudi, and his fellow countryman Malcom Edjouma to give Qingdao a different look from last time out.
Avoiding the drop for a second-consecutive season will be an achievement for Qingdao, particularly with the points deduction that will take some weeks to overcome.
Last Season: 14th
Points Deducted: 7
Liaoning Tieren
Winners of the 2025 China League One title, Liaoning Tieren have worked hard to bolster their squad and prepare for their debut season in the Chinese Super League.
Experience has been the focus for signings this offseason, with a plethora of domestic players who are well known at the top level heading up to the Northeast.
Goalkeeper Han Rongze arrives from Qingdao Hainiu, centre-back Yuan Mincheng moves over from Chengdu Rongcheng, left back Li Haoran joins from Shanghai Port, and right back Dilmurat Mawlanniyaz has joined from Yunnan Yukun.
Li Tixiang, a 36-year-old defensive midfielder, has joined from Zhejiang, with central midfielder Yan Dinghao moving from Chengdu Rongcheng, and winger Chen Binbin joining from Nantong Zhiyun. Striker Tian Yuda will remain in the Northeast after making the short(ish) move from Changchun Yatai.
Brazilian winger Jeffinho has joined the club on loan, while Swedish centre-back Pavle Vagic has signed to join last season’s title heroes Felipe, Guy Mbenza, and Takahiro Kunimoto.
Riding the wave of positivity after last season’s promotion, former Shandong Taishan striker Li Jinyu, who hails from Liaoning and began his playing career with Liaoning FC, will be hoping to inspire a strong debut season in the top tier, with no points deductions holding the club back.
Last Season: 1st (China League One)
Points Deducted: 0
Chongqing Tonglianglong
Finishing second in China League One last season, courtesy of better head-to-head results against Guangdong GZ-Power, Chongqing Tonglianglong have sought to bring in veterans of China’s top tier and to extend their reach to new signings from across the world.
35-year-old Cameroonian centre-back Michael Ngadeu joins the Chinese Super League newbies after spending the past three seasons as a key part of Beijing Guoan’s back line.
Alongside him, providing quality at the heart of defence and trying to create stability in the team’s debut campaign, is Brazilian Lucão, who has spent the majority of his career playing in his home country.
Another veteran centre-back to join the club is 36-year-old Jin Pengxiang, who arrives from Dalian Yingbo and has Beijing Guoan, Dalian Yifang, Guangzhou R&F, and Tianjin Quanjian on his lengthy resume.
Ibrahim Amadou, a French defensive midfielder, has joined the club from Shanghai Shenhua, bringing experience from the Chinese top tier. Rounding out the team’s import signings are loan players Alexandru Cîmpanu, a Romanian winger, and Belgian striker Landry Dimata.
With no points deductions for the club, a strong early start could set the club up for stability and a mid-table finish would ideally be the goal given the landscape of the league this season.
Last Season: 2nd (China League One)
Points Deducted: 0