China FA issues 73 lifetime bans and docks 13 clubs ahead of 2026 season

China’s Football Association has issued lifetime bans to 73 people for match-fixing and gambling-related offences and imposed points deductions and fines on 13 clubs ahead of the 2026 professional league season. The CFA’s disciplinary and ethics bodies reviewed case materials transferred by public security and judicial authorities, then applied industry sanctions under its disciplinary code as part of what Chinese officials describe as an ongoing “fake gambling and black” crackdown in football. The CFA said: “Chinese football will always maintain a zero-tolerance stance… discovering one case, investigating one case”, as it urged clubs and members to treat the punishments as a warning on integrity standards." Among the club sanctions, Tianjin Jinmen Tiger and Shanghai Shenhua start 2026 with 10-point deductions and 1 million yuan fines.The CFA also sanctioned Qingdao Hainiu with a seven-point deduction, while Shanghai Port, Beijing Guoan and Wuhan Three Towns are among clubs handed five-point deductions. The governing body published a full list covering 13 clubs, with deductions ranging from three to 10 points and fines ranging from 200,000 yuan to 1 million yuan, with the CFA linking the scale of sanctions to factors including the amount involved, the circumstances and the broader impact. The lifetime bans cover individuals whose crimes were confirmed by court judgments, including former CFA president Chen Xuyuan and former national team head coach Li Tie.Reuters reported both were among those sanctioned as China’s football authorities continue a wider anti-corruption push under President Xi Jinping. The CFA also imposed five-year bans on three people who were not criminally prosecuted but whose conduct was judged to have seriously breached industry discipline, with the bans running from 29 January 2026 to 28 January 2031. The latest action follows previous mass sanctions as the CFA and state authorities attempt to rebuild trust in the domestic game.AP noted the CFA handed lifetime bans to 43 players and officials in 2024, while the points penalties announced this week create an immediate competitive impact before a ball is kicked in the 2026 season.