Chinese Super League | China - an overview

The Chinese Football Association Super League is more commonly called the China Super League, or CSL for short. The CSL is the top level of professional men’s football in China. The China Super League has become one of the most interesting leagues in Asia. Serious financial investment and a veritable “who’s who” of international superstars has reinvented the CSL and given it a new lease of life with genuine worldwide popularity. Players and coaches are reported to be amongst the highest paid in the sport, which attracts big named players to China. 16 teams play in the top-flight of CSL football. A league that was formed through the re-branding of their outdated top division Chinese. There is no promotion from the CSL, but the top three teams qualify for the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League, with one further place being determined by the winner of the Chinese FA Cup. The bottom two placed teams at the end of the season are relegation to the China League One.