Chinese Super League Final Round Championship and Relegation Scenarios: Shanghai Port Wins to Secure Title, Meizhou, HaiNiu, and Shenzhen Face Relegation Battle

The 29th round of the Chinese Super League has concluded. After Shanghai Shenhua was held to a draw, they were overtaken by Shanghai Port in the standings, while Nantong Zhiyun’s home loss confirmed their relegation one round early.

In the title race, Shanghai Shenhua drew 2-2 with Shenzhen Xin Pengcheng at home, while Shanghai Port secured a narrow 1-0 win away against Cangzhou Lions. As a result, Shanghai Shenhua now trail Shanghai Port by one point. In the final round, Shanghai Shenhua will travel to face Chengdu Rongcheng, while Shanghai Port will host Tianjin Jinmenhu. The situation is straightforward: if Shanghai Port wins, they will definitely secure the title. If they fail to win, it will depend on Shanghai Shenhua’s performance. It’s worth noting that Shanghai Shenhua have the upper hand in head-to-head records, which means an extreme scenario could occur—Shanghai Port losing in the final round while Shanghai Shenhua draw, leading to Shanghai Shenhua winning the title due to their superior head-to-head record.

Regarding relegation, after Nantong Zhiyun lost 1-3 to Beijing Guoan at home, they are now 4 points behind Qingdao HaiNiu, who are third from bottom, with only one round remaining. This makes Nantong Zhiyun the first team to be relegated from the Chinese Super League this season, leaving them hoping for a reprieve through a promotion/relegation playoff.

The last relegation spot will be contested between Cangzhou Lions (29 points), Qingdao West Coast (29 points), Meizhou Hakka (27 points), Qingdao HaiNiu (26 points), and Shenzhen Xin Pengcheng (26 points). Among these teams, Cangzhou and Qingdao West Coast, both with 29 points, are in relatively better positions. For the other three teams—Meizhou, HaiNiu, and Shenzhen Xin Pengcheng—the final round remains unpredictable.

Chinese Super League final round match-ups