2018 Chinese Super League

Chinese Super League
Season2018
Dates2 March – 11 November 2018
ChampionsShanghai SIPG (1st title)
RelegatedChangchun Yatai
Guizhou Hengfeng
AFC Champions LeagueShanghai SIPG
Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao
Beijing Sinobo Guoan
Shandong Luneng Taishan
Matches played240
Goals scored768 (3.2 per match)
Top goalscorerWu Lei
(27 goals)
Biggest home winShanghai SIPG 8–0 Dalian Yifang
(3 March 2018)
Biggest away winHenan Jianye 0–5 Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao
(15 August 2018)
Highest scoringGuangzhou Evergrande Taobao 4–5 Guangzhou R&F
(2 March 2018)
Beijing Sinobo Guoan 6–3 Hebei China Fortune
(2 August 2018)
Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao 4–5 Shanghai SIPG
(3 November 2018)
Longest winning run6 matches
Shanghai SIPG
Longest unbeaten run17 matches
Beijing Sinobo Guoan
Longest winless run11 matches
Tianjin TEDA
Longest losing run5 matches
Chongqing Dangdai Lifan
Guizhou Hengfeng
Highest attendance56,544
Beijing Sinobo Guoan vs Shandong Luneng Taishan
(5 August 2018)
Lowest attendance5,651
Beijing Renhe vs Guizhou Hengfeng
(14 April 2018)
Average attendance24,053
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 Ping An Chinese Football Association Super League (Chinese: 2018中国平安中国足球协会超级联赛) was the 15th season since the establishment of the Chinese Super League.[1] The league title sponsor was Ping An Insurance.[2][3] Shanghai SIPG won their first top-tier league titles on 7 November 2018 after the 2–1 victory against Beijing Renhe, ending a historic run for Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao, who had won seven consecutive titles beginning with the 2011 season.[4]

Policy regarding foreign players and U-23 domestic players continued to change in this season. At least one domestic player who is under the age of 23 (born on or after 1 January 1995) must be in the starting eleven, the same as in the 2017 season.[5] However, two foreign-player policies have changed: (1) the number of foreign players on a club's roster has been reduced from five to four and (2) the total number of foreign players under contract with a club in a season has been reduced from seven to six.[5] In addition, a new policy affecting both foreign players and U-23 domestic players has been introduced: The total number of foreign players appearing in matches must be no more than the total number of U-23 domestic players.[5] Players from AFC countries no longer hold a special slot. But clubs can register one non-naturalized player from the Hong Kong Football Association, Macau Football Association or Chinese Taipei Football Association (except goalkeepers) as a native player.[6] According to the Chinese FA, a non-naturalized player is a player who was first registered as a professional footballer in one of the three aforementioned football associations. For still more complexity concerning non-naturalized players, players from Hong Kong and Macau must be passport holders of the Hong Kong SAR or the Macau SAR, and players from Taiwan must be citizens of Taiwan.[7] Policy of U-23 domestic players was relaxed in August for the 2018 Asian Games.[8] It existed in name only from October when China U-25 training team was organized.[9]

  1. ^ Meng Xiangfeng (2007-03-26). 中国足球协会超级联赛历史. Sohu Sports (in Chinese). Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  2. ^ 中国平安4年6亿冠名中超 三大层面助力中国足球. Sohu Sports (in Chinese). 2014-06-09. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  3. ^ 中国平安继续冠名中超五年 总额达10亿人民币. Tencent Sports (in Chinese). 2017-05-18. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  4. ^ 新王登基！上港终夺中超冠军 再也不是"千年老二". Sina Sports (in Chinese). 2018-11-07. Retrieved 2018-11-12.
  5. ^ a b c "足协新政:U23出场数不少于外援数 无时间规定". Sina Sports (in Chinese). 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  6. ^ 足协港澳台引援政策变动 可引进一名非归化球员. Sina Sports (in Chinese). 2017-12-22. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  7. ^ 足协规定中超可注册27名国内球员 港澳台球员1人. Sina Sports (in Chinese). 2018-02-08. Retrieved 2018-03-04.
  8. ^ "亚运期间中超中甲U23政策调整 每场仍至少1人首发". Sina Sports (in Chinese). 2018-07-13. Retrieved 2018-11-05.
  9. ^ "U23政策不会废除但要取决国家队 或将以减免为主". Sina Sports (in Chinese). 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2018-11-05.