In a shocking announcement, Guangzhou FC, the most illustrious Football club in Chinese history, officially announced its dissolution on January 6, succumbing to enormous financial difficulties that have plagued the club for several seasons.
Formerly known as Guangzhou Evergrande, the club cited its inability to meet the Chinese Football Association’s strict financial requirements necessary for participation in the 2025 domestic campaign as the reason for the unfortunate closure.
The club released a statement saying: “Due to heavy financial burdens resulting from previous seasons, we were unable to settle our debts within the stipulated time frame. We sincerely apologize to all our loyal supporters and greatly appreciate their understanding and their forgiveness during this difficult time.”
Guangzhou FC’s slide into obscurity follows a decade of extraordinary success after property giant Evergrande took control in 2010. The move sparked a lavish spending spree that captured the attention of the global football community.
With renowned players like Brazilian Paulinho and world-class coaches such as Italian Marcello Lippi and Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari at the helm, the club won an impressive total of eight Chinese Super League titles from 2011 to 2019 , as well as conquering the Asian Champions League in 2013 and 2015.
This golden era saw China attract football legends like Carlos Tevez, Nicolas Anelka, Oscar and Didier Drogba, raising the profile of the league.
However, the mood turned grim when Evergrande revealed debts exceeding $300 billion in 2021. Financial woes forced the club to part ways with key players, ultimately leading to relegation to China’s second division in 2022.
On the same day as Guangzhou FC’s dissolution announcement, Cangzhou Mighty Lions and third division club Hunan Billows also declared their closure, signaling a worrying trend in Chinese football.
The Chinese Football Association expressed its concerns, saying: “Only by focusing on the long term, maintaining sound financial practices and patiently investing in youth can clubs hope to secure a stable future .” They also mentioned that 49 teams have been identified as financially fit to compete in the top three divisions of the league in 2025.
