Pro League: 2025 Season Complete "Separation of Administration"

Reporter Lu Mi reports In 2024, the professional league has made a historic breakthrough, the Football Association has vigorously strengthened league governance, and cross-departmental cooperation has achieved remarkable results in cracking down on "fake gambling", and the league atmosphere has achieved a fundamental improvement. After the ups and downs, the Chinese professional league has gradually recovered, with more than 7.58 million people watching the games in the third-level professional league throughout the year, and the average goal per game in the Chinese Super League is 3.13, the highest in recent years.

According to the "2024 Work Report of the Chinese Football Association", in terms of professional leagues, the professional league has achieved a historic transformation by adhering to reform and innovation and keeping an eye on the style and discipline of the competition, which is mainly reflected in four major aspects.

First, major progress has been made in the reform of "separation of management and management" in professional leagues. Accelerate the establishment of the China Football Professional League Federation with independent legal personality, and actively and steadily promote the registration of the Chinese Football Federation, the improvement of the league system, and the adjustment of operating entities. Set up a three-level league committee to be responsible for the organization of the competition. At present, the establishment plan of the Chinese Football Federation has been submitted for approval in accordance with the procedures, authorized by the Chinese Football Association, mainly responsible for the competition organization and commercial operation of the third-level professional league.

Second, the problem of league style and discipline has been fundamentally improved. It has established a working mechanism of "five meetings and five in place" for competition supervision, implemented the supervision responsibilities of local sports administrative departments, changed the long-term situation of the Chinese Football Association singing a "one-man show", and formed a "chorus" work pattern between the Chinese Football Association and local sports administrative departments, local football associations and clubs. The "Eight New Regulations" were introduced to strengthen the management of league referees, the establishment of a promotion and promotion and public evaluation system, 162 complaints from clubs against referees, and 27 review meetings of the adjudication committee review group were held, which effectively solved the problem of "official whistle" and "black whistle". The establishment of a reward mechanism for whistleblowing, and the open recruitment of football social supervisors across the country, have effectively curbed the emergence of the problem of "fake gambling black". Organize and convene the first safety work conference of the Chinese Football Association and the training course for event safety officers to promote the standardized operation of the league.

Third, the relevant policies of the club have been continuously improved. Adjust and improve league policies such as club relocation and chest advertising, and actively create conditions for clubs to relieve difficulties. Through the inter-ministerial joint meeting mechanism, we will actively promote the proper handling of the problem of arrears of wages and debts of the club. A team of experts was formed to form the "Guidelines for the Construction and Management of Chinese Football Professional Clubs" on the basis of extensive research and repeated solicitation of club opinions, and guided the club to improve its operation and management level. The study proposes a plan for the use of the adjustment fee for recruitment, focusing on supporting the development of youth training.

Fourth, the vitality of the league has been re-released. In the 2024 season, the foreign aid policy has been continuously relaxed, and the professional league has become more open and exciting, which has effectively improved the level of the league and has been recognized by the majority of fans. The suspense of the Chinese Super League, the Chinese Super League, and the Chinese Super League continued to compete for the championship and relegation until the last round, with the highest number of attendees in a single game reaching more than 54,000 people, with an average net game time of 54 minutes and 01 seconds, an increase of 3 minutes and 10 seconds compared with 2023, and an average high-intensity running distance of 8,292 meters per game, an increase of 6.8%. More than 7.58 million people watched the third-level professional league throughout the year, and the Chinese Super League averaged 3.13 goals per game, the highest in recent years.

The average number of spectators per game in the league has increased significantly, from 5,545 to 9,520. Throughout the season, the professional league was generally clean, safe and stable, which promoted Chinese football to take an important step out of the predicament and develop for the better.

Regarding the goals of the professional league in the 2025 season, the key point mentioned in the summary report is to accelerate the "separation of management and management" of the professional league. In accordance with the requirements of the "Implementation Plan for the Reform of the Separation of Management and Management of the Chinese Football Professional League", the list of responsibilities of the Chinese Football Association and the Chinese Football Federation was clarified, and the organization, management and operation functions of the league were fully delegated to the Chinese Football Federation; In the process of the establishment of the Chinese Football Federation, it has given active support in terms of personnel, finance and materials, focusing on the transition of management subjects, policy systems and professionals; Continue to consolidate the territorial responsibilities of local sports administrative departments and local football associations for league management, and jointly build a professional league system with "separation of management and management, clear property rights, clear responsibilities, perfect organization, and scientific management". Efforts will be made to establish the Chinese Football Federation according to the time node.