Chinese Super League club Dalian Pro has announced its dissolution with immediate effect after failing to be granted a licence for the upcoming season.
The club finished 15th in the 16-team top flight of Chinese football last season to avoid relegation to the second division but will not participate in the new campaign when it kicks off later in the year.
“Despite the efforts of many parties, the club was unable to operate normally due to historical debts that could not be resolved and ultimately failed to pass the league admission for the 2024 season,” Dalian said in a statement on Wednesday.
“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our friends from all walks of life who have always cared about and supported the club, and to the fans who have accompanied us through thick and thin.”
Voting lines now open for Sportstar ACES Awards 2024
Dalian, who were once coached by Rafa Benitez and featured Marek Hamsik and Salomon Rondon among their former players, are the latest club to close as China grapples with an economic slowdown and the lingering impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jiangsu FC shut their doors in 2021, just months after winning the Chinese Super League title, while Guangzhou City, Wuhan Yangtze and Hebei FC were all dissolved ahead of the 2023 season.
The Chinese Super League previously attracted some of the sport’s leading talent, including World Cup winning coaches Marcello Lippi and Luiz Felipe Scolari, who led Guangzhou Evergrande to the Asian title in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
The country’s clubs also competed with the world’s wealthiest clubs to acquire elite players, with Shanghai SIPG - now known as Shanghai Port - signing Brazilian duo Oscar and Hulk for a combined 110 million euros ($119.68 million) in 2016. ($1 = 0.9191 euros)
Comments
SHARE