The Chinese football champions indicates all past winners of the Chinese top-tier football league since it first started in 1951.
The professional football league of China was found in 1994 as the Chinese Jia-A League (甲A联赛). After ten years of existence, the Chinese FA decided to create a new top tier league known as the Chinese Super League.
Since 1994, 32 professional seasons have been contested, with 22 seasons as the Chinese Super League. Dalian Shide and Guangzhou FC are the most successful teams in the professional period with eight titles each. Dalian won three consecutive titles on two occasions (1996–1998 and 2000–2002), while Guangzhou won seven consecutive titles from 2011 to 2017.[1]
List of champions
Italic indicates defunct clubs.
National Football era (1951–1986)
National Football Championship (1951–1953)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1951 |
North East China | East China | Army |
1953 |
Army | North East China | East China |
National Football League (1954–1955)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1954 |
North East China (2) | South Central China | East China |
1955 |
Central Sports Institute | Dalian Shipyards | Locomotive (Railways) |
National Football Jia League (1956–1962)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1956 |
Beijing Youth B | Shanghai Sports Institute | Shenyang Sports Institute |
1957 |
Beijing Youth (2) | Tianjin | August 1st |
1958 |
Beijing | Shenyang | Tianjin |
1960 |
Tianjin | Liaoning | Shanghai |
1961 |
Shanghai | August 1st | Tianjin |
1962 |
Shanghai (2) | August 1st | Liaoning |
National Football League (1963)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1963 |
Beijing Youth (3) | Liaoning | Tianjin |
National Football Jia League (1964–1965)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1964 |
Beijing Sports Institute | Shanghai | August 1st |
1965 |
Jilin | August 1st | Beijing |
National Football League (1973–1977)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1973 |
Beijing (2) | Shanghai | Liaoning |
1974 |
August 1st (2) | Tianjin | Beijing |
1977 |
August 1st (3) | Beijing | Guangdong |
National Football Jia League (1978–1986)
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
1978 |
Liaoning | August 1st | Beijing |
1979 |
Guangdong | Liaoning | August 1st |
1980 |
Tianjin (2) | Liaoning | Beijing Army Unit |
1981 |
August 1st (4) | Shandong | Beijing |
1982 |
Beijing (3) | Shandong | Tianjin |
1984 |
Beijing (4) | Tianjin | Liaoning |
1985 |
Liaoning Dongyao (2) | August 1st | Dalian Pearl |
1986 |
August 1st (5) | Hubei | Beijing |
Semi-professional era (1987–1993)
Jia-A League (1987–1993)
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) allowed enterprises to sponsor and invest in football teams, and as a result, the league entered a semi-professional era in 1987 season.
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liaoning Dongyao (3) | Tianjin Seagull | Shanghai | |
| Liaoning Dongyao (4) | China B | Tianjin Seagull | |
| China B | Liaoning Dongyao | Shenzhou Shanghai | |
| Liaoning Dongyao (5) | August 1st | Dalian Xinghai | |
| Liaoning Dongyao (6) | Shanghai Shenhua | Beijing Shenzhou | |
| Liaoning Dongyao (7) | Guangzhou Baiyun | Dalian Xinghai | |
| Liaoning Dongyao (8) | Guangdong Hongyuan | Beijing Guoan |
Professional era (1994–present)
Jia-A League (1994–2003)
Chinese Jia-A League became China's first professional football league with the start of the 1994 season.
| Season | Champions | Runners-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dalian Wanda | Guangzhou Apollo | Shanghai Shenhua | |
| Shanghai Shenhua (3) | Beijing Guoan | Dalian Wanda | |
| Dalian Wanda (2) | Shanghai Shenhua | Bayi | |
| Dalian Wanda (3) | Shanghai Shenhua | Beijing Guoan | |
| Dalian Wanda (4) | Shanghai Shenhua | Beijing Guoan | |
| Shandong Luneng Taishan | Liaoning | Sichuan Quanxing | |
| Dalian Shide (5) | Shanghai Shenhua | Sichuan Quanxing | |
| Dalian Shide (6) | Shanghai Shenhua | Liaoning | |
| Dalian Shide (7) | Shenzhen Ping An | Beijing Guoan | |
| Not awarded | Shanghai International | Dalian Shide |
Super League (2004–present)
In 2002, the CFA announced the establishment of the Chinese Super League, which began in the 2004 season with the aim of introducing truly commercial methods and allowing the professional football market in China to operate more freely.
Total titles won
Clubs in bold compete in the Chinese Super League as of the 2026 season. Italics indicates defunct clubs.
Super League era (2004–present)
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou | 8 |
2 |
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 | 2018, 2020 |
| Shandong Taishan | 4 |
4 |
2006, 2008, 2010, 2021 | 2004, 2013, 2022, 2023 |
| Shanghai Port | 4 |
3 |
2018, 2023, 2024, 2025 | 2015, 2017, 2021 |
| Beijing Guoan | 1 |
4 |
2009 | 2007, 2011, 2014, 2019 |
| Jiangsu | 1 |
2 |
2020 | 2012, 2016 |
| Changchun Yatai | 1 |
1 |
2007 | 2009 |
| Shenzhen | 1 |
0 |
2004 | |
| Dalian Shide | 1 |
0 |
2005 | |
| Wuhan Three Towns | 1 |
0 |
2022 | |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 0 |
5 |
2005, 2006, 2008, 2024, 2025 | |
| Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | 0 |
1 |
2010 |
All professional era (1994–present)
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guangzhou | 8 |
3 |
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 | 1994, 2018, 2020 |
| Dalian Shide | 8 |
0 |
1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 | |
| Shandong Taishan | 5 |
4 |
1999, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2021 | 2004, 2013, 2022, 2023 |
| Shanghai Port | 4 |
3 |
2018, 2023, 2024, 2025 | 2015, 2017, 2021 |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 1 |
10 |
1995 | 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2024, 2025 |
| Beijing Guoan | 1 |
5 |
2009 | 1995, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2019 |
| Jiangsu | 1 |
2 |
2020 | 2012, 2016 |
| Shenzhen | 1 |
1 |
2004 | 2002 |
| Changchun Yatai | 1 |
1 |
2007 | 2009 |
| Wuhan Three Towns | 1 |
0 |
2022 | |
| Liaoning | 0 |
1 |
1999 | |
| Beijing Chengfeng | 0 |
1 |
2003 | |
| Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | 0 |
1 |
2010 |
All-time (1951–present)
| Club | Champions | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liaoning | 8 |
6 |
1978, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 | 1960, 1963, 1979, 1980, 1989, 1999 |
| Guangzhou | 8 |
4 |
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 | 1992, 1994, 2018, 2020 |
| Dalian Shide | 8 |
0 |
1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005 | |
| Bayi | 5 |
6 |
1953, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1986 | 1961, 1962, 1965, 1978, 1985, 1990 |
| Shandong Taishan | 5 |
6 |
1999, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2021 | 1981, 1982, 2004, 2013, 2022, 2023 |
| Shanghai Port | 4 |
3 |
2018, 2023, 2024, 2025 | 2015, 2017, 2021 |
| Beijing | 4 |
1 |
1958, 1973, 1982, 1984 | 1977 |
| Shanghai Shenhua | 3 |
13 |
1961, 1962, 1995 | 1964, 1973, 1991, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2024, 2025 |
| Beijing Youth | 3 |
0 |
1956, 1957, 1963 | |
| Tianjin Jinmen Tiger | 2 |
5 |
1960, 1980 | 1957, 1974, 1984, 1987, 2010 |
| North East China | 2 |
1 |
1951, 1954 | 1953 |
| Beijing Guoan | 1 |
5 |
2009 | 1995, 2007, 2011, 2014, 2019 |
| Jiangsu | 1 |
2 |
2020 | 2012, 2016 |
| Guangdong Winnerway | 1 |
1 |
1979 | 1993 |
| China B | 1 |
1 |
1989 | 1988 |
| Shenzhen | 1 |
1 |
2004 | 2002 |
| Changchun Yatai | 1 |
1 |
2007 | 2009 |
| Central Sports Institute | 1 |
0 |
1955 | |
| Beijing Sports Institute | 1 |
0 |
1964 | |
| Yanbian Funde | 1 |
0 |
1965 | |
| Wuhan Three Towns | 1 |
0 |
2022 | |
| East China | 0 |
1 |
1951 | |
| South Central China | 0 |
1 |
1954 | |
| Dalian Shipyards | 0 |
1 |
1955 | |
| Shanghai Sports Institute | 0 |
1 |
1956 | |
| Shenyang | 0 |
1 |
1958 | |
| Hubei | 0 |
1 |
1986 | |
| Beijing Chengfeng | 0 |
1 |
2003 |
Total titles won by province
Super League era (2004–present)
| Province | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Guangdong | 9 |
Guangzhou (8), Shenzhen (1) |
| Shandong | 4 |
Shandong Taishan (4) |
| Shanghai | 4 |
Shanghai Port (4) |
| Liaoning | 1 |
Dalian Shide (1) |
| Jilin | 1 |
Changchun Yatai (1) |
| Beijing | 1 |
Beijing Guoan (1) |
| Jiangsu | 1 |
Jiangsu (1) |
| Hubei | 1 |
Wuhan Three Towns (1) |
All professional era (1994–present)
| Province | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| Guangdong | 9 |
Guangzhou (8), Shenzhen (1) |
| Liaoning | 8 |
Dalian Shide (8) |
| Shandong | 5 |
Shandong Taishan (5) |
| Shanghai | 5 |
Shanghai Port (4), Shanghai Shenhua (1) |
| Jilin | 1 |
Changchun Yatai (1) |
| Beijing | 1 |
Beijing Guoan (1) |
| Jiangsu | 1 |
Jiangsu (1) |
| Hubei | 1 |
Wuhan Three Towns (1) |
Total titles won by region
Super League era (2004–present)
| Region | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| South Central | 10 |
Guangzhou (8), Shenzhen (1), Wuhan Three Towns (1) |
| East | 9 |
Shandong Taishan (4), Shanghai Port (4), Jiangsu (1) |
| Northeast | 2 |
Changchun Yatai (1), Dalian Shide (1) |
| North | 1 |
Beijing Guoan (1) |
All professional era (1994–present)
| Region | Number of titles | Clubs |
|---|---|---|
| East | 11 |
Shandong Taishan (5), Shanghai Port (4), Shanghai Shenhua (1), Jiangsu (1) |
| South Central | 10 |
Guangzhou (8), Shenzhen (1), Wuhan Three Towns (1) |
| Northeast | 9 |
Dalian Shide (8), Changchun Yatai (1) |
| North | 1 |
Beijing Guoan (1) |
References
- "Guangzhou Evergrande seal record 7th successive Chinese title". South China Morning Post. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 30 December 2022.