The 2025 Chinese Super League season is fast approaching, but which teams are set to contest the top tier of Chinese football?
Much like the majority of seasons since the rebranding in 2004, 16 teams will compete for China’s top league title.
But who are the teams, and where did they come during the 2024 season?
Shanghai Port
The reigning Chinese champions, Shanghai Port could be considered the de facto favourites for the 2025 title with Kevin Muscat still at the helm.
The red side of Shanghai were strong all through 2024, bar a minor wobble that city rivals Shanghai Shenhua failed to capitalise on, and even finished the season with a domestic league and cup double.
After losing talismanic midfielder Oscar, who returned home to Brazil after many fruitful years in China’s largest city, Port have worked to strengthen their first team and have brought in even more firepower up front in the form of Leonardo.
Wu Lei (34) and Gustavo (20) finished 2024 as top and third-highest goalscorers in the league respectively, while Leonardo finished as runner-up – meaning Port now have last season’s top three goalscorers on hand.
Wu Lei will miss some time after needing surgery this season, but he should return to a team in healthy shape and firmly up there in the title battle.
Last Season: 1st
Shanghai Shenhua
The blue half of Shanghai came agonisingly close to snatching the title last season, going top of the table with just two matches to go in the campaign before suffering a disappointing loss that gifted Port the lead once again that could not be overcome.
Shenhua have continued to strengthen their squad under the guidance of Leonid Slutsky, which has seen the team bring in China international Li Ke, who departed Beijing Guoan after the expiration of his contract this winter.
The naturalised midfielder (born Nico Yennaris) arrives alongside Brazilian forward Saulo Mineiro and Slovenian/Chinese youngster Marcel Petrov.
After coming so close to winning their first-ever Chinese Super League title, Shenhua will be looking to overcome their city rivals and begin 2025 in strong fashion – capitalising on the absence of Wu Lei as best they can.
Last Season: 2nd
Chengdu Rongcheng
Chengdu Rongcheng have had two solid back-to-back third-place seasons in 2023 and 2024, and will be hoping they can take things one or two steps further in 2025.
With last season’s Young Player of the Year, Hu Hetao, along with a majority of the team’s strong core returning, including Tim Chow, Rômulo and Felipe, Chengdu will be feeling confident they can mount a serious title challenge in 2025.
The team have yet to officially announce any new signings,with only small rumours linking them with players around the Middle Kingdom, but they will be hoping that their strong efforts over the last two seasons can continue into this new season.
Last Season: 3rd
Beijing Guoan
Beijing Guoan are desperate to improve on their fourth-place finish in 2024, with their sights firmly on winning silverware this time around in 2025.
The Imperial Guard have lost international midfielder Li Ke, who has joined title rivals Shanghai Shenhua, but new manager Quique Setién has worked hard to address the team’s midfield with some key additions.
28-year-old Brazilian Dawhan has arrived in the Chinese capital from Japanese club Gamba Osaka, joining soon-to-be naturalised countryman Serginho, who arrives after five years with Changchun Yatai.
Both players give Beijing something different in midfield, with Dawhan being more of a CDM while Serginho’s emphasis is in the attacking third. Both should work well with Guga, giving Beijing a potentially formidable midfield core to build around.
Defender Wu Shaocong has also returned from his stint in Europe looking to cement his place in the starting line-up and keep himself firmly in the national team picture.
Beijing will be one of the favourites to compete for the title this season and could prove to be a difficult challenge for other teams around them.
Last Season: 4th
Shandong Taishan
2024 was a year to forget for Shandong Taishan, a team that has long been competing for silverware and found themselves struggling at times throughout the season.
Despite arguably needing a scorer of his quality, the team have finally cut ties with Leonardo and allowed him to join Shanghai Port, putting them at the top of the title favourites list in the process.
Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Madruga has arrived from Cuiabá Esporte Clube in Brazil’s second tier, while Fei Nanduo (Fernandinho) could potentially play a larger role after a solid loan spell with Shenhua during the second half of 2024.
Shandong is another team that have not revealed much in terms of new arrivals, but they will be hoping to make some adjustments to a team that only managed fifth last year and will be keen to put themselves back in contention for silverware once again after finishing as runners-up in the Chinese FA Cup.
Last Season: 5th
Tianjin Jinmen Tiger
Tianjin’s target for 2025 will be to keep themselves firmly in the top half of the league, with a view to push into the top five or four teams. Continental qualification would be a big achievement for manager Yu Genwei.
Andrea Compagno is gone, so the team have brought in Alberto Quiles from Spanish club Albacete, while fellow countryman Cristian Salvador has also arrived from Elche CF.
Yang Fan has transferred from Chengdu Rongcheng, Li Yongjia has moved from Meizhou Hakka while Hong Kong international Sun Ming-Him has also joined from Cangzhou Mighty Lions.
Tianjin could still make more moves before the February 21st kick-off date, but they will be hoping that retaining the majority of their core players will keep them competitive in 2025, with the few adjustments they have already made providing some strength across the pitch.
Last Season: 6th
Zhejiang
New Zhejiang manager Raúl Caneda has a tough task ahead of him in 2025, with the team hoping to improve on last season’s seventh-place finish despite losing out on permanently signing star striker Leonardo.
Leonardo has been instrumental in Zhejiang’s success since arriving half-way through the 2023 season, so without him the 2025 campaign will be one of great intrigue and hope.
In Leonardo’s absence, Zhejiang have signed Gabonese striker Aaron Boupendza from Rapid FC Rapid from Romania. The team has done little else in the transfer market so far, with a number of signings expected to be announced before the season kicks off later this month.
Zhejiang will need to build around a solid core and strengthen their depth if they hope to adequately replace a player who has become one of the best in the entire Chinese Super League during his time in Hangzhou.
Last Season: 7th
Henan
Results have been hit-or-miss with Henan for a number of years, regularly seeing the side yo-yo up and down the Chinese Super League table. After finishing 2023 in 10th place, Henan managed to climb up to eighth in 2024.
In 2025, Henan will be hoping to cement their place in the top half of the table, potentially even climbing towards the top five – having reached as high as sixth in 2022.
Brazilian striker Felippe Cardoso has arrived, joining Zheng Dalun, Yin Hongbo, He Chao and Lucas Maia as the team’s key signings this winter.
Manager Nam Ki-il will be hoping to return to the solid run of mid-season results that helped Henan climb the table, picking up five wins out of nine.
Scoring more goals will be a key factor in Henan’s success and the hope will be that their recent additions can go a long way to contributing on that front.
Last Season: 8th