Season | 2021 |
---|---|
Dates | 24 April – 22 December |
Champions | Wuhan Three Towns |
Promoted | Wuhan Three Towns Meizhou Hakka Zhejiang Chengdu Rongcheng |
Matches played | 306 |
Goals scored | 830 (2.71 per match) |
Top goalscorer | Nyasha Mushekwi (23 goals) |
Biggest home win | Kunshan 6–0 Jiangxi Beidamen (15 May 2021) Chengdu Rongcheng 6–0 Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard (11 August 2021) |
Biggest away win | Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard 0–7 Chengdu Rongcheng (23 July 2021) Guizhou 2–9 Chengdu Rongcheng (21 December 2021) |
Highest scoring | Guizhou 2–9 Chengdu Rongcheng (21 December 2021) |
Longest winning run | 14 matches Wuhan Three Towns |
Longest unbeaten run | 18 matches Wuhan Three Towns |
Longest winless run | 32 matches Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard |
Longest losing run | 8 matches Jiangxi Beidamen Suzhou Dongwu |
← 2020 2022 → |
The 2021 China League One (Chinese: 2021中国足球协会甲级联赛) is the 18th season of the China League One, the second tier of the Chinese football league pyramid, since its establishment in 2004.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
The 2021 China League One season was scheduled to start on 17 March 2021, but later was postponed.[1]
On 1 April, the Chinese Football Association announced that the season would start on 24 April 2021 and the format of the season.[2][3] The season was divided into 4 stages (10, 8, 8 and 8 rounds respectively). In the first stage, 18 teams were divided into 3 groups based on the hosts and last season's rankings. In the second, third and fourth stage, the teams in 3 groups will be switched to ensure that each team can play against each other 2 times.
Groups
The draw for the stages took place on 1 April 2021.[4]
Team | Draw order | No. | Group | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First S. | Second S. | Third S. | Fourth S. | ||||
Meizhou Hakka | Host | - | A1 | A | D | G | J |
Zhejiang | 2nd, 2020 season | 1 | A2 | A | D | G | J |
Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | 10th, 2020 season | 6 | A3 | A | E | H | K |
Sichuan Jiuniu | 11th, 2020 season | 7 | A4 | A | E | H | K |
Zibo Cuju | 2nd, CL2, 2020 season | 12 | A5 | A | F | I | L |
Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | 18th, 2020 season | 13 | A6 | A | F | I | L |
Chengdu Rongcheng | Host | - | B1 | B | F | H | J |
Kunshan | 3rd, 2020 season | 2 | B2 | B | F | H | J |
Beijing BSU | 9th, 2020 season | 5 | B3 | B | D | I | K |
Nantong Zhiyun | 12th, 2020 season | 8 | B4 | B | D | I | K |
Jiangxi Beidamen | 16th, 2020 season | 11 | B5 | B | E | G | L |
Nanjing City | 3rd, CL2, 2020 season | 14 | B6 | B | E | G | L |
Wuhan Three Towns | Host | - | C1 | C | E | I | J |
Guizhou | 7th, 2020 season | 3 | C2 | C | E | I | J |
Suzhou Dongwu | 8th, 2020 season | 4 | C3 | C | F | G | K |
Liaoning Shenyang Urban | 14th, 2020 season | 9 | C4 | C | F | G | K |
Heilongjiang Ice City | 15th, 2020 season | 10 | C5 | C | D | H | L |
Beijing BIT | 4th, CL2, 2020 season | 15 | C6 | C | D | H | L |
Centralised venues
- Meizhou (Group A, D, G, J)
- Hengbei Football Town Field 9
- Meixian Tsang Hin-chi Stadium
- Wuhua County Olympic Sports Centre
- Wuhua County Stadium
- Dalian (Group B, F, H)
- Dalian Sports Centre Stadium Field 3
- Dalian Youth Football Training Base Main Stadium
- Jinzhou Stadium
- Chengdu (Group L)
- Wuhan (Group C, E, I, K)
- Hankou Cultural Sports Centre
- Tazi Lake Football Base Field 1
- Tazi Lake Football Base Field 3
- Wuhan Five Rings Sports Center
Dates
- First stage (Round 1-10): 24 April - 10 June
- Second stage (Round 11-18): 11 July - 17 August
- Third stage (Round 19-26): 3 September - 5 October
- Fourth Stage (Round 27-34): 20 November - 22 December
Teams
Team changes
To League OneTeams promoted from 2020 China League Two |
From League OneTeams promoted to 2021 Chinese Super League Dissolved entries
|
Name changes
Ahead of the 2021 season, the Chinese Football Association ordered all clubs to eliminate any corporate references in their names.[7]
- Chengdu Better City F.C. changed their name to Chengdu Rongcheng in January 2021.[8]
- Guizhou Hengfeng F.C. changed their name to Guizhou in January 2021.[9]
- Nanjing Fengfan F.C. changed their name to Nanjing City in January 2021.[10]
- Jiangxi Liansheng F.C. changed their name to Jiangxi Beidamen in February 2021.[11]
- Heilongjiang Lava Spring F.C. changed their name to Heilongjiang Ice City in February 2021.[12]
- Zhejiang Energy Greentown F.C. changed their name to Zhejiang in February 2021.[13]
Clubs
Stadiums and locations
Club locations
Managerial changes
Team | Outgoing manager | Manner of departure | Date of vacancy | Position in table | Incoming manager | Date of appointment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | Kim Bong-gil | Mutual consent | 29 November 2020[15] | Pre-season | Óscar Céspedes | 23 January 2021[16] |
Chengdu Rongcheng | José Carlos Granero | Mutual consent | 7 December 2020[17] | Seo Jung-won | 12 December 2020[18] | |
Zhejiang | Zheng Xiong | Mutual consent | 31 December 2020[19] | Jordi Vinyals | 1 January 2021[20] | |
Meizhou Hakka | Marcelo Rospide | Mutual consent | 6 February 2021 | Milan Ristić | 6 February 2021 | |
Zibo Cuju | Hou Zhiqiang | Mutual consent | 19 February 2021 | Park Chul | 19 February 2021[21] | |
Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | Polat Kutulk (caretaker) | End of caretaker spell | 30 March 2021 | Pei Encai | 30 March 2021[22] | |
Nanjing City | Tang Bo | Mutual consent | 18 April 2021 | Fulvio Pea | 18 April 2021[23] | |
Beijing BSU | Su Maozhen | Mutual consent | Zhang Xu | |||
Zibo Cuju | Park Chul | Mutual consent | Huang Hongyi | |||
Wuhan Three Towns | Albert Garcia Xicota | Sacked | 25 July 2021 | 5th | Pedro Morilla | 25 July 2021[lower-alpha 1][24][25] |
Nantong Zhiyun | Xie Hui | Resigned | 22 August 2021[26] | 7th | Cao Rui | 26 August 2021[27] |
Kunshan | Gao Yao | Sacked | 16 September 2021 | 9th | Sergio Zarco Díaz | 16 September 2021[28] |
Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | Pei Encai | Mutual consent | 2 October 2021 | 17th | Qeriazdan Ashar | 2 October 2021[29] |
Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | Óscar Céspedes | Sacked | October 2021 | 7th | Feng Feng (caretaker) | October 2021 |
Guizhou | Chen Mao | Sacked | 27 November 2021 | 9th | Yuan Yi | 27 November 2021[30] |
Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | Qeriazdan Ashar | Mutual Consent | 11 December 2021 | 18th | Polat Kutulk (caretaker) | 11 December 2021 |
- ↑ Morilla was initially caretaker manager, but was then appointed as manager until the end of the season on 9 December 2021.
Foreign players
The number of foreign players clubs can register over the course of the season is limited to four and the number of foreign players allowed on each team at any given time is limited to three. A maximum of three foreign players can be registered for each match with a maximum of two can be fielded at any time during the match. In addition, each club can register a Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan player of Chinese descent (excluding goalkeepers), provided that he registered as a professional footballer in one of those three association for the first time, as a native player.
- Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
- ^1 For Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwanese players, if they are non-naturalized and were registered as professional footballers in Hong Kong's, Macau's, or Chinese Taipei's football association for the first time, they are recognized as native players. Otherwise they are recognized as foreign players.
League table
Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wuhan Three Towns (C, P) | 34 | 25 | 4 | 5 | 73 | 25 | +48 | 79 | Promotion to Super League |
2 | Meizhou Hakka (P) | 34 | 24 | 3 | 7 | 79 | 35 | +44 | 75 | |
3 | Zhejiang (O, P) | 34 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 69 | 28 | +41 | 74 | Qualification for Promotion play-offs |
4 | Chengdu Rongcheng (O, P) | 34 | 21 | 8 | 5 | 81 | 28 | +53 | 71 | |
5 | Nantong Zhiyun | 34 | 20 | 5 | 9 | 62 | 30 | +32 | 65 | |
6 | Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | 34 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 55 | 30 | +25 | 62 | |
7 | Heilongjiang Ice City | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 56 | |
8 | Sichuan Jiuniu | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 27 | +7 | 52 | |
9 | Kunshan | 34 | 13 | 12 | 9 | 56 | 35 | +21 | 51 | |
10 | Nanjing City | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 41 | 42 | −1 | 45 | |
11 | Zibo Cuju | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 32 | 52 | −20 | 39[lower-alpha 1] | |
12 | Guizhou (D) | 34 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 26 | 56 | −30 | 39[lower-alpha 1] | Dissolved after season |
13 | Suzhou Dongwu | 34 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 36 | 53 | −17 | 32 | |
14 | Jiangxi Beidamen | 34 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 29 | 68 | −39 | 29 | |
15 | Beijing BSU | 34 | 6 | 10 | 18 | 37 | 53 | −16 | 28 | |
16 | Liaoning Shenyang Urban | 34 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 30 | 62 | −32 | 25 | |
17 | Beijing BIT (T) | 34 | 3 | 5 | 26 | 24 | 82 | −58 | 14 | Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
18 | Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard (T) | 34 | 1 | 6 | 27 | 16 | 84 | −68 | 9 |
Rules for classification:
- During season: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
- After season: 1) Points; 2) Head-to-head points; 3) Head-to-head goal difference; 4) Head-to-head goals scored; 5) Goal difference; 6) Goals scored; 7) Disciplinary points (1 point for each yellow card, 3 points for each red card); 8) Draw
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (T) Qualified, but not yet for the particular phase indicated
Notes:
Results
Positions by round
To preserve chronological evolvements, any postponed matches are not included to the round at which they were originally scheduled, but added to the full round they were played immediately afterwards. For example, if a match is scheduled for round 7, but then played between rounds 8 and 9, it will be added to the standings for round 8.
Leader and promotion to Super League | |
Runner-up and promotion to Super League | |
Qualification for Promotion play-offs | |
Qualification for Relegation play-offs |
Results by match played
W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Promotion play-offs
Zhejiang and Chengdu Rongcheng will play the bottom two teams in the 2021 Chinese Super League (7th and 8th in the Relegation stage) in two-legged playoffs.
Relegation play-offs
Overview
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Qingdao Youth Island | 2–2 (5–4 p) | Beijing BIT | 0–0 | 2–2 (a.e.t.) |
Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | 0–1 | Guangxi Pingguo Haliao | 0–1 | 0–0 |
Matches
Beijing BIT | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Qingdao Youth Island |
---|---|---|
|
|
|
Penalties | ||
|
4–5 |
|
2–2 on aggregate. Qingdao Youth Island won 5–4 on penalties.
Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | 0–1 | Guangxi Pingguo Haliao |
---|---|---|
|
Guangxi Pingguo Haliao won 1–0 on aggregate.
Statistics
Top scorers
- As of 12 January 2022[31]
Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Nyasha Mushekwi | Zhejiang | 24 |
2 | Chisom Egbuchulam | Meizhou Hakka | 20 |
Kingsley Onuegbu | Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | 20 | |
4 | Moses Ogbu | Wuhan Three Towns | 18 |
5 | Raphaël Messi Bouli | Nanjing City | 15 |
6 | Liang Xueming | Meizhou Hakka | 14 |
Naldinho | Chengdu Rongcheng | 14 | |
Donovan Ewolo | Heilongjiang Ice City | 14 | |
Robert Tambe | Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | 14 | |
Zé Turbo | Nantong Zhiyun | 14 |
Hat-tricks
Player | For | Against | Result | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
Lonsana Doumbouya | Meizhou Hakka | Shaanxi Chang'an Athletic | 3–2 (H) | 24 May 2021 |
Moses Ogbu | Wuhan Three Towns | Suzhou Dongwu | 4–0 (A) | 10 June 2021 |
Xiang Baixu | Chengdu Rongcheng | Xinjiang Tianshan Leopard | 7–0 (A) | 23 July 2021 |
Nyasha Mushekwi | Zhejiang | Beijing BIT | 3–0 (H) | 15 August 2021 |
Raphaël Messi Bouli | Nanjing City | Liaoning Shenyang Urban | 3–3 (A) | 30 September 2021 |
Felipe | Chengdu Rongcheng | Guizhou | 9–2 (A) | 21 December 2021 |
Meng Junjie | Chengdu Rongcheng | Guizhou | 9–2 (A) | 21 December 2021 |
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 The match was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
References
- ↑ "2021中国足球赛历:中超3月11日开始,世预赛9、10、11月进行". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 30 December 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ↑ "职业联赛重要时间点确定:中超4月20日开赛,中甲4月24日开赛". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 1 April 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ↑ "新赛季中甲赛制:全年赛会制进行,保证打满34轮比赛". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 1 April 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- ↑ "新赛季中甲分组抽签出炉,分为梅州、武汉和大连-成都赛区". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 1 April 2021. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- 1 2 3 "关于公布获得2021赛季中国足球协会职业准入资格俱乐部名单的通知". thecfa.cn (in Chinese). 29 March 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ↑ "官方:中甲泰州远大宣布退出中国足坛". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 20 March 2021. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- ↑ "Renaming rules spell dilemma for Super League teams". China Daily. 7 December 2020. Retrieved 29 December 2020.
- ↑ "成都兴城足球俱乐部正式更名为成都蓉城足球俱乐部". Dongqiudi. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
- ↑ "官方:贵州恒丰足球俱乐部正式更名为贵州足球俱乐部". Dongqiudi. 16 January 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2021.
- ↑ "官方:南京枫帆足球俱乐部正式更名为南京城市足球俱乐部". Dongqiudi. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- ↑ "手续完成,江西联盛更名"江西北大门"". Dongqiudi. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
- ↑ "国家企业信用信息公示系统:黑龙江火山鸣泉已更名黑龙江冰城". Dongqiudi. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
- ↑ "公告:浙江能源绿城足球俱乐部正式更名为浙江职业足球俱乐部". Dongqiudi. 26 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
- ↑ "全国主要城市经纬度表".
- ↑ "官方:金奉吉不再担任陕西长安竞技主教练". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 29 November 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "官方:前青岛黄海助教奥斯卡-塞斯佩德斯执教陕西". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 23 January 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "公告:卡洛斯先生不再担任成都兴城人居队主教练一职". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 7 December 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "官方:韩国籍教练徐正源出任成都兴城主帅". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 12 December 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "感谢,祝福 关于郑雄先生不再担任一线队主教练的公告". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 31 December 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ↑ "官方:乔迪出任浙江能源绿城一线队主教练". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 1 January 2021. Retrieved 23 March 2021.
- ↑ "淄博蹴鞠官方:免去侯志强职务,任命朴徹为主帅". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 19 February 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "官方:新疆天山雪豹任命裴恩才为球队新帅". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 30 March 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "官方:意大利教练皮亚担任南京城市新主帅". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 18 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- ↑ "官方:武汉三镇主帅阿尔贝托下课,技术总监暂代主帅一职". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 25 July 2021. Retrieved 25 July 2021.
- ↑ "武汉三镇官方:代理主帅佩德罗正式出任俱乐部一线队主教练". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 9 December 2021. Retrieved 9 December 2021.
- ↑ "谢晖:我决定辞去南通支云主教练一职,偷拍事件我也有反思". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 22 August 2021. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
- ↑ "官方:前江苏助教曹睿出任南通支云主教练". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 26 August 2021. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ↑ "官方发布会宣!昆山已完成换帅,球队预备队教练萨尔科取代高尧". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 16 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
- ↑ "新疆队官方:主帅裴恩才因身体原因辞职,阿斯哈尔任执行教练". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 2 October 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
- ↑ "贵州官方:免去主帅及一线队教练组、领队职务,后续另行安排". Dongqiudi (in Chinese). 27 November 2021. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
- ↑ "China League One Topscorers". Soccerway. Retrieved 24 April 2021.