Guangzhou FC, an eight-time Chinese Super League (CSL) champion and former Asian powerhouse, will not participate in professional football during the 2025 season. The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has ruled the club ineligible due to its inability to address substantial historical debts.
The decision marks a dramatic end to the club’s illustrious history, which saw them dominate Chinese football and claim two AFC Champions League titles in 2013 and 2015 under World Cup-winning coaches Marcello Lippi and Luiz Felipe Scolari. Once the face of China’s footballing ambitions, Guangzhou’s meteoric rise was fueled by property giant China Evergrande’s heavy investments after acquiring the club in 2010.
Guangzhou’s lavish spending attracted top domestic players and global talents, embodying President Xi Jinping’s vision of turning China into a football powerhouse. Their success included eight CSL titles between 2011 and 2019, partnerships with Real Madrid, and plans for a state-of-the-art 100,000-seat stadium.
However, the tide turned in 2021 when Evergrande faced severe financial struggles, leading to a withdrawal of funding. The club was relegated from the CSL in 2022, finishing 12th in China League One in 2023 and third in 2024, narrowly missing promotion.
In a statement, Guangzhou expressed regret and apologized to fans, vowing to handle the aftermath and continue supporting Chinese football. Despite their collapse, the club remains hopeful of re-establishing itself in some form, symbolizing a sobering end to an era of extravagant ambition in Chinese football.
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