{{Expand Chinese|topic=sport|中国足球职业联赛联合会|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox football league | name = Chinese Professional Football League<br>{{small|中国足球职业联赛联合会}} | image = Chinese Professional Football League Logo.png | country = China | confed = [[Asian Football Confederation|AFC]] | founded = {{Start date and age|2025|1|23|df=y}} | divisions = {{ubl|[[Chinese Super League]]|[[China League One]]|[[China League Two]]}} | teams = 52 | promotion = | relegation = [[Chinese Champions League]] | levels = 1–3 | domest_cup = [[Chinese FA Cup]] | league_cup = | champions = [[Shanghai Port F.C.|Shanghai Port]] | season = [[2025 Chinese Super League|2025]] | tv = | website = {{url|https://www.cfl-china.cn/|cfl-china.cn}} | current = }} {{Infobox Chinese |title=Chinese Professional Football League |order=st |s=中国足球职业联赛联合会 |t=中國足球職業聯賽聯合會 |p=Zhōngguó Zúqiú Zhíyè Liánsài Liánhéhuì }} {{Infobox Chinese |title=CFL |order=st |s=中足联 |t=中足聯 |p=Zhōngzúlián }} The '''Chinese Professional Football League'''{{efn|中国足球职业联赛联合会 literally means "Chinese Professional Football League Union" instead of "Chinese Professional Football League".<ref>{{Cite web |title=China to establish professional football league union, says CFA chief |url=https://www.chinadailyhk.com/hk/article/602023 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=chinadailyhk |language=en}}</ref> In fact, "Chinese Professional Football League" is the translation of 中国足球职业联盟 (or 中国职业足球联盟), the name proposed during the organization's preparation phase.<ref>{{Cite web |title=重磅：职业联盟全面夺权足协 不能任其成自由王国 |url=https://www.titan24.com/publish/app/data/2016/11/05/26460/os_news.html |access-date=2025-01-29 |website=www.titan24.com}}</ref>}} ({{zh|s=中国足球职业联赛联合会|p=Zhōngguó Zúqiú Zhíyè Liánsài Liánhéhuì}}), abbreviated as '''CFL''' ({{zh|s=中足联|p=Zhōngzúlián}}), is an independent federation aimed at operating all levels of China's professional [[association football|football]] [[Sports league|leagues]], overseeing the [[Chinese Super League]] (CSL), [[China League One]], and [[China League Two]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=China establishes independent federation to run professional football leagues |url=https://english.news.cn/20250123/6475792fe1b740bcad23bd2fb993b94b/c.html}}</ref> Established in 2025, it replaced the [[Chinese Football Association]] (CFA)'s direct management of leagues to improve governance and financial sustainability.<ref>{{Cite web |title=中足联负责人：职业联赛管办分离改革迈出实质性步伐| url=https://www.jfdaily.com/staticsg/res/html/web/newsDetail.html?id=850045 |access-date=2025-01-27 |website=www.jfdaily.com}}</ref>
The CFL was created under China's 2015 football reform plan to decentralize league operations. It manages commercial rights, scheduling, and promotion/relegation, while the CFA retains regulatory powers. The league aims to curb corruption and overspending.
== History == '''2015''': The [[State Council of China|State Council]]'s "Football Reform Plan" proposes separating league management from the CFA.{{cn|date=January 2025}}
'''2022–2024''': Anti-corruption crackdown arrests 13 CFA officials, including former chairman [[Chen Xuyuan]].{{cn|date=January 2025}}
'''2025''': CFL officially launches with 56 clubs across three tiers. The inaugural council includes representatives from clubs, media, and legal experts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://english.news.cn/20250123/6475792fe1b740bcad23bd2fb993b94b/c.html|title=China establishes independent federation to run professional football leagues|website=english.news.cn|date=23 January 2025}}</ref>
== League structure == The CFL operates three tiers:
1. '''[[Chinese Super League]]''' (16 teams)
2. '''[[China League One]]''' (16 teams)
3. '''[[China League Two]]''' (24 teams): Includes reserve squads (e.g., [[Shandong Taishan F.C.|Shandong Taishan B]]) and promoted [[Chinese Champions League]] teams.
==Footnotes== {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.sohu.com/sports CFL Coverage on Sohu Sports] * [http://www.cfa.org.cn Chinese Football Association]
{{Football in China}}
[[Category:Chinese Professional Football League| ]] [[Category:Men's football leagues in China|1–3]] [[Category:2025 establishments in China]] [[Category:Sports leagues established in 2025]]