Heavily in debt, Guangzhou FC is banned from professional championship in China

A debt of 288 billion euros

But faced with the financial difficulties of its majority owner due to the collapse of the real estate market in China, the team was relegated to the Second Division in 2022. In 2020, Guangzhou FC began construction of a new stadium with a value of 1.8 billion euros which, according to the Evergrande group, should be able to accommodate at least 80,000 spectators. But this project was canceled in 2022, the group having accumulated 288 billion euros in debt. The CFA has since introduced strict rules limiting transfer fees and player salaries.