Guangzhou FC Loses Professional Status: The Fall of a Former Record Champion

The club, a two-time winner of the AFC Champions League and home to world-renowned coaches such as Marcello Lippi, Fabio Cannavaro, and Luiz Felipe Scolari, has been excluded from the participant lists of China's professional leagues for the 2025 season. The club’s financial troubles, caused by the bankruptcy of its main sponsor, Evergrande, have persisted for years, leading to its relegation to China League One in 2022.

"A Foreseeable End"

According to Transfermarkt expert "CSLDACH," the loss of professional status was inevitable. Without a new investor, the club was unsalvageable due to massive debts, unpaid salaries, and its deep ties to Evergrande. The crisis also reflects the stagnation of China’s football ambitions. Since the launch of the "Chinese Dream" in 2011 under President Xi Jinping, aimed at making China a football powerhouse, enormous sums were poured into clubs, players, and coaches. However, the system collapsed entirely during the pandemic.

A Historic Rise and a Dramatic Fall

Guangzhou FC was the flagship of China's football boom. The club attracted stars such as Paulinho, Robinho, and Jackson Martínez, broke transfer fee records, paid astronomical salaries, and planned the "Lotus Flower" stadium for 100,000 fans. But the zero-COVID policy and the bursting of the real estate bubble shattered those dreams. Foreign players and coaches left the club, and even basic expenses like electricity and water could no longer be paid.

Despite relegation and significant setbacks, Guangzhou FC recently appeared to be making a sporting comeback. The squad was primarily composed of young talents from the club’s Evergrande Football School, and initial foreign signings were made again. However, financial struggles and disputes with players over unpaid wages prevented the long-hoped-for promotion.

Chinese Football at a Crossroads

The fate of Guangzhou FC highlights the broader problems in Chinese football: political interference, massive mismanagement of investments, and a lack of sustainability. Once an ambitious project, the league is now far removed from its lofty goals. According to "CSLDACH," China has “politically and economically stood in its own way.”

With the potential demise of Guangzhou FC, Chinese football loses its most successful club, the world’s largest football school, and one of the grandest investment projects in sports. The club could restart in an amateur league, but Chinese teams have historically not taken advantage of such opportunities.

The story of Guangzhou FC symbolizes the dream and the reality of Chinese football—a tale of global ambitions and eventual downfall.

Failed Sporting Revival

Despite relegation and significant setbacks, Guangzhou FC recently appeared to be making a sporting comeback. The squad was primarily composed of young talents from the club’s Evergrande Football School, and initial foreign signings were made again. However, financial struggles and disputes with players over unpaid wages prevented the long-hoped-for promotion.

Chinese Football at a Crossroads

The fate of Guangzhou FC highlights the broader problems in Chinese football: political interference, massive mismanagement of investments, and a lack of sustainability. Once an ambitious project, the league is now far removed from its lofty goals. According to "CSLDACH," China has “politically and economically stood in its own way.”

With the potential demise of Guangzhou FC, Chinese football loses its most successful club, the world’s largest football school, and one of the grandest investment projects in sports. The club could restart in an amateur league, but Chinese teams have historically not taken advantage of such opportunities.

The story of Guangzhou FC symbolizes the dream and the reality of Chinese football—a tale of global ambitions and eventual downfall.