China Gives Lifetime Football Bans to 73 Individuals

2026-01-29 07:35:03

(MENAFN) China on Thursday enforced permanent prohibitions from all football-related roles against 73 people, among them former Chinese Football Association head Chen Xuyuan, as part of an ongoing "anti-corruption campaign," media accounts said.

Former national squad manager Li Tie was also included on the blacklist, a state-run news outlet reported.

Chen had already received a life sentence in 2024 after being convicted on bribery charges.
Beyond individual punishments, 13 football clubs — such as Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, Shanghai Shenhua, Shanghai Port, and Beijing Guoan — are set to receive points deductions along with monetary sanctions during the 2026 season.

Shanghai Shenhua and Tianjin Jinmen Tiger were each hit with fines totaling 1 million yuan (roughly $143,788), according to a state-backed newspaper.

Authorities said these penalties reflect China’s most recent push to clean up corruption within the domestic football industry.

Previously, in September 2024, 43 people were handed lifetime bans from football-related involvement due to offenses tied to gambling and match manipulation.

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