Summary
The Ping An Chinese Super League (CHN1) is the top level of league-style football competition in China PR. At the end of the 2021 CHN1 season, the CHN1 teams listed below qualify for the following non-league play:
- 2022 AFC Champions League - Group Stage:
- 1st and 2nd place 2021 CHN1 teams
- 2022 AFC Champions League - Playoff Round:
- 3rd place 2021 CHN1 teams
The winner of the 2021 Chinese FA Cup, typically a CHN1 team, also receives a berth in the Group Stage of the 2022 AFC Champions League.
Leagues Pyramid - China PR
| Abbrev | League | # of Teams |
|---|---|---|
| CHN1 | Chinese Super League | 16 |
| CHN2 | China League 1 | 18 |
| CHN3 | China League 2 | 20 |
| CHN4 | CMCL | 1,000+ |
Competition Structure
Season | # of Teams | ||
| 1st Phase 20 Apr 2021 - 15 Aug 2021 | 2nd Phase (Champ/Releg) 11 Dec 2021 - 2 Jan 2022 | 16: CHN1 (14), CHN2 (2) | |
Season Format
The 2021 CHN1 season is split into 2 phases. In the 1st Phase, the teams are split into two groups of 8 where each CHN1 team plays Home-Away matches with the other 7 CHN1 teams in their group for a total of 14 league matches. In the 2nd Phase, the 1st Phase teams ranked 1-4 in Groups A and B play in the Championship Round, and the 1st Phase teams ranked 5-8 in Groups A and B play in the Relegation Round. In each round, each team plays one match against 7 teams in their group. During the 1st Phase, table ranking ties are broken by (1) goal differnce, then (2) goals scored. After the Regular season, table ranking ties are broken by (1) head-to-head points, (2) head-to-head goal difference, (3) head-to-head goals scored, then (4) scores of the weight ratio of the reserve and youth leagues.
Playoffs
Not applicable.
Relegation
At the end of the 2021 CHN1 season, the 15th and 16th place CHN1 teams will be relegated directly to CHN2, and the 1st and 2nd place CHN2 teams will be promoted to the 2022 CHN1.
More Info...
Relegation Playoff
| Date | Home | Status | Road | Venue | ||||
| Aggregate | Chengdu Rongcheng FC (CHN2) | 21 | Dalian Pro (CHN1) |
| 08.01.22 |  | 11 | Dalian Pro | Jiangyin Sports Park Stadium |
| 12.01.22 | | 01 | Chengdu Rongcheng FC | Jiangyin Sports Park Stadium | ||
| Chengdu Rongcheng FC is promoted to CHN1 | ||||||
| Aggregate | Qingdao FC (CHN1) | 01 | Zhejiang Greentown (CHN2) |
| 08.01.22 |  | 01 | Zhejiang Greentown | Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium |
| 12.01.22 | | 00 | Qingdao FC | Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium | ||
| Zhejiang Greentown is promoted to CHN1 | ||||||
2nd Phase
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| Championship | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Shandong Taishan FC | 22 | 15 -6-1 | 51 | - | 47 | 16 | 31 | 11 | 9 -2-0 | 29 | 22 | 8 | 14 | 11 | 6 -4-1 | 22 | 25 | 8 | 17 |
| 2 | Shanghai Port FC | 22 | 13 -6-3 | 45 | - | 42 | 14 | 28 | 11 | 9 -1-1 | 28 | 21 | 4 | 17 | 11 | 4 -5-2 | 17 | 21 | 10 | 11 |
| 3 | Guangzhou FC | 22 | 13 -5-4 | 44 | - | 47 | 17 | 30 | 11 | 8 -3-0 | 27 | 25 | 7 | 18 | 11 | 5 -2-4 | 17 | 22 | 10 | 12 |
| 4 | Changchun Yatai FC | 22 | 11 -6-5 | 39 | - | 31 | 20 | 11 | 11 | 6 -4-1 | 22 | 15 | 7 | 8 | 11 | 5 -2-4 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 3 |
| 5 | Beijing Guoan FC | 22 | 9 -6-7 | 33 | - | 26 | 28 | -2 | 11 | 6 -5-0 | 23 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 11 | 3 -1-7 | 10 | 8 | 18 | -10 |
| 6 | Shenzhen FC | 22 | 9 -5-8 | 32 | - | 33 | 29 | 4 | 11 | 4 -3-4 | 15 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 11 | 5 -2-4 | 17 | 21 | 18 | 3 |
| 7 | Guangzhou City FC | 22 | 7 -8-7 | 29 | - | 32 | 31 | 1 | 11 | 4 -3-4 | 15 | 22 | 19 | 3 | 11 | 3 -5-3 | 14 | 10 | 12 | -2 |
| 8 | Hebei CFFC | 22 | 6 -7-9 | 25 | - | 15 | 28 | -13 | 11 | 4 -4-3 | 16 | 9 | 13 | -4 | 11 | 2 -3-6 | 9 | 6 | 15 | -9 |
| Relegation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Shanghai Shenhua FC | 22 | 10 -7-5 | 37 | - | 34 | 22 | 12 | 11 | 6 -4-1 | 22 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 11 | 4 -3-4 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 1 |
| 2 | Henan Songshan Longmen | 22 | 7 -9-6 | 30 | - | 19 | 20 | -1 | 11 | 6 -4-1 | 22 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 1 -5-5 | 8 | 5 | 13 | -8 |
| 3 | Cangzhou Mighty Lions | 22 | 6 -6-10 | 24 | - | 25 | 32 | -7 | 11 | 5 -3-3 | 18 | 12 | 10 | 2 | 11 | 1 -3-7 | 6 | 13 | 22 | -9 |
| 4 | Tianjin Teda FC | 22 | 5 -6-11 | 21 | - | 18 | 35 | -17 | 11 | 3 -2-6 | 11 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 11 | 2 -4-5 | 10 | 6 | 13 | -7 |
| 5 | Chongqing Liangjiang | 22 | 5 -5-12 | 20 | - | 21 | 36 | -15 | 11 | 3 -3-5 | 12 | 11 | 16 | -5 | 11 | 2 -2-7 | 8 | 10 | 20 | -10 |
| 6 | Wuhan FC | 22 | 3 -11-8 | 20 | - | 23 | 30 | -7 | 11 | 2 -6-3 | 12 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 11 | 1 -5-5 | 8 | 9 | 14 | -5 |
| 7 | Dalian Pro | 22 | 6 -1-15 | 19 | - | 21 | 37 | -16 | 11 | 3 -1-7 | 10 | 11 | 18 | -7 | 11 | 3 -0-8 | 9 | 10 | 19 | -9 |
| 8 | Qingdao FC | 22 | 3 -2-17 | 11 | - | 13 | 52 | -39 | 11 | 2 -0-9 | 6 | 7 | 27 | -20 | 11 | 1 -2-8 | 5 | 6 | 25 | -19 |
2022 AFCCL Relegation Playoff | ||||||||||||||||||||
1st Phase
| League | Home | Road | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| POS | MP | W - D - L | PTS | CPTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | MP | W - D - L | PTS | GF | GA | GD | |
| Group A | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Shandong Taishan FC | 14 | 10 -3-1 | 33 | - | 30 | 10 | 20 | 7 | 6 -1-0 | 19 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 4 -2-1 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 10 |
| 2 | Guangzhou FC | 14 | 9 -3-2 | 30 | - | 39 | 14 | 25 | 7 | 6 -1-0 | 19 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 7 | 3 -2-2 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 10 |
| 3 | Shenzhen FC | 14 | 7 -3-4 | 24 | - | 24 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 3 -3-1 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 4 -0-3 | 12 | 16 | 12 | 4 |
| 4 | Guangzhou City FC | 14 | 5 -6-3 | 21 | - | 21 | 21 | 0 | 7 | 2 -3-2 | 9 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 3 -3-1 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 5 | Henan Songshan Longmen | 14 | 4 -6-4 | 18 | - | 13 | 14 | -1 | 7 | 3 -3-1 | 12 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 7 | 1 -3-3 | 6 | 4 | 8 | -4 |
| 6 | Chongqing Liangjiang | 14 | 3 -2-9 | 11 | - | 16 | 28 | -12 | 7 | 3 -1-3 | 10 | 11 | 14 | -3 | 7 | 0 -1-6 | 1 | 5 | 14 | -9 |
| 7 | Cangzhou Mighty Lions | 14 | 2 -4-8 | 10 | - | 13 | 23 | -10 | 7 | 2 -2-3 | 8 | 5 | 8 | -3 | 7 | 0 -2-5 | 2 | 8 | 15 | -7 |
| 8 | Qingdao FC | 14 | 2 -1-11 | 7 | - | 6 | 34 | -28 | 7 | 2 -0-5 | 6 | 4 | 18 | -14 | 7 | 0 -1-6 | 1 | 2 | 16 | -14 |
| Group B | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | Shanghai Port FC | 14 | 8 -4-2 | 28 | - | 30 | 7 | 23 | 7 | 6 -1-0 | 19 | 16 | 1 | 15 | 7 | 2 -3-2 | 9 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| 2 | Changchun Yatai FC | 14 | 8 -4-2 | 28 | - | 23 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 5 -2-0 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 9 | 7 | 3 -2-2 | 11 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| 3 | Beijing Guoan FC | 14 | 7 -3-4 | 24 | - | 19 | 16 | 3 | 7 | 5 -2-0 | 17 | 13 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 2 -1-4 | 7 | 6 | 10 | -4 |
| 4 | Hebei CFFC | 14 | 6 -5-3 | 23 | - | 12 | 11 | 1 | 7 | 4 -3-0 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 2 -2-3 | 8 | 4 | 7 | -3 |
| 5 | Shanghai Shenhua FC | 14 | 6 -4-4 | 22 | - | 21 | 17 | 4 | 7 | 3 -3-1 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 -1-3 | 10 | 13 | 11 | 2 |
| 6 | Wuhan FC | 14 | 1 -8-5 | 11 | - | 11 | 19 | -8 | 7 | 1 -4-2 | 7 | 7 | 10 | -3 | 7 | 0 -4-3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | -5 |
| 7 | Tianjin Teda FC | 14 | 2 -3-9 | 9 | - | 11 | 29 | -18 | 7 | 2 -0-5 | 6 | 9 | 19 | -10 | 7 | 0 -3-4 | 3 | 2 | 10 | -8 |
| 8 | Dalian Pro | 14 | 2 -1-11 | 7 | - | 12 | 29 | -17 | 7 | 1 -1-5 | 4 | 5 | 14 | -9 | 7 | 1 -0-6 | 3 | 7 | 15 | -8 |
Championship Round Relegation Round | ||||||||||||||||||||
Results
 | 10 | Guangzhou FC | Huadu Stadium |
 | 11 | Shandong Taishan FC | Tianhe Stadium |
 | 21 | Hebei CFFC | Yuexiushan Stadium |
 | 01 | Beijing Guoan FC | Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center Central Stadium |
 | 30 | Henan Songshan Longmen | Suzhou Sports Center |
| 41 | Qingdao FC | Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium |
 | 10 | Cangzhou Mighty Lions | Kunshan Sports Center Stadium |
 | 12 | Chongqing Liangjiang | Jiangyin Sports Park Stadium |
| 01 | Shenzhen FC | Yuexiushan Stadium |
| 11 | Guangzhou City FC | Huadu Stadium |
| 20 | Changchun Yatai FC | Tianhe Stadium |
| 22 | Shanghai Port FC | Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center Central Stadium |
| 10 | Wuhan FC | Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium |
| 00 | Shanghai Shenhua FC | Kunshan Sports Center Stadium |
| 01 | Tianjin Teda FC | Suzhou Sports Center |
| 20 | Dalian Pro | Jiangyin Sports Park Stadium |
| 12 | Shanghai Port FC | Yuexiushan Stadium |
| 01 | Changchun Yatai FC | Tianhe Stadium |
| 02 | Guangzhou FC | Huadu Stadium |
| 11 | Shandong Taishan FC | Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center Central Stadium |