The draw for the AFC Champions League Elite League was announced, and the three major effects pushed the Chinese Super League teams to face the difficulties

The Chinese Super League team strives to go further in the AFC Champions League Elite League, the competitive significance is to maintain the bottom line of the three Super League places, and the economic significance is to strive for a stable income of nearly 30 million yuan for the club. In a social sense, it is to attract more Chinese fans to the stadium through the success of the club in Asian competitions, support the development of the Chinese Super League and consolidate the foundation of youth training, so that the Chinese Super League club can achieve sustainable development.

The reporter reported coldly On August 16, the draw for the new season of the AFC Champions League Elite League was announced, and the three teams of the Chinese Super League will play against all three of the top three leagues in Japan and South Korea, as well as the champions of the Malay Super League and the Australian Super League. The prize money of the Elite League has increased significantly compared to last season, and for the three participating Chinese Super League teams, they will have the opportunity to earn more than 30 million yuan. This is very attractive for Chinese Super League clubs, which are generally in poor financial condition.

What's more, the Elite League, like the round of 18, which began almost at the same time, represents the true status of Chinese football in Asian football. Unlike the previous AFC Champions League group stage, the number of times Chinese Super League teams have played against strong teams in the Japanese and Korean leagues in the elite league will increase. Although the Chinese Super League may have a poor overall record, the probability of occupying at least one of the eight qualifying teams in East Asia is still very high. The results of the Chinese Super League teams in the elite league will directly affect the number of places in the Chinese Super League in subsequent seasons. If the Super League does not want to reduce its quota places in the Elite League in the future, participating teams must take every game seriously.

For the Chinese Super League, the elite league is the round of 18 of Chinese football at the club level. The hope of Chinese football lies in the league, and whether there are as many teams as possible to participate in Asia's top club competitions in a consistent and stable manner is crucial.

The Elite League is the AFC's repackaging of the AFC Champions League, with a 40% reduction in the number of teams participating in the main stage, but also an improvement in the quality of the competition. The significant increase in the prize money of the tournament is conducive to stimulating the teams of the top Asian leagues to actively recruit and participate, and then close the gap with the European and South American leagues at the club level. What's more, the AFC Champions League Elite League prize money has increased significantly, which will benefit all leagues outside the J1 League in East Asia. Especially for the Chinese Super League, which is still struggling to cultivate the local football industry and struggle to survive, it is very important.

Although this season's Chinese Super League has increased by 50% in terms of naming and royalties compared to last season, the dividends of each club are still only about 12 million yuan. Even the big clubs with better attendance have only been able to earn a steady season from home court box office revenues in their home competitions. At a time when local sponsorship revenue has not yet come out of the trough, it will earn more than 30 million yuan by playing well in the elite league, which can ease the financial situation of the Chinese Super League teams participating in the elite league to a considerable extent.

The Elite League is worth $800,000 and $100,000 for winning, and $200,000, $400,000 and $600,000 for advancing to the round of 16, quarter-finals and quarter-finals, respectively. The AFC Champions League Elite League is 8 teams from 12 teams in both East and West Asia, and given the poor form of Gwangju FC, Yokohama Mariner and Kawasaki Frontale this season, Johor DT and Central Coast Mariners are considered to be weak, and at least one Chinese Super League team has a good chance of reaching the round of 16. Combined with the $200,000 qualification bonus for the 1/8 finals and the box office revenue of an additional home stadium, the teams that qualify for the Chinese Super League can earn more than 30 million yuan in a stable income with a total of five home games and at least $1.2 million in prize money. And Shanghai Port, which has performed strongly in the Chinese Super League this season, even has the hope of hitting the quarterfinals.

The AFC Champions League Elite League has a generous prize of up to $10 million for the champion and $4 million for the runner-up. Although it is almost impossible for a Chinese Super League team to reach the final in the coming period, there is still a lot of hope to reach the round of 16. Until the Chinese football industry bottoms out and returns to enough to survive on regular operating gains, the AFC Champions League prize money will be one of the main sources of income for the teams participating in the Chinese Super League.

Due to the continuous dispatch of echelon teams to the AFC Champions League in 2021 and 2022, the AFC technical score is negligible, which has had a significant impact on the qualification of the Chinese Super League teams. If it weren't for the AFC to expand the calculation time of the AFC technical points allocated to the AFC Champions League elite league quota from four seasons to eight seasons, the Chinese Super League might not even have a quota in the elite league this season. For Chinese Super League teams, going all out in the elite league is not only a matter of income, but also a "face issue".

The national football team will usher in the top 18 of the 2026 World Cup finals in September, and the results of the national football team will greatly affect the confidence and trend of the development of China's football industry. Similarly, the results of Chinese Super League teams in the elite league are the "second front" to stimulate the development of China's football industry. The league is the foundation of the development of the football industry. Only the thriving league can drive the development of the whole chain of China's football industry, and then cultivate more top players who can bring the national football team to the round of 18 and even the World Cup finals. At a time when Chinese football is at a low ebb, the Chinese Super League clubs cultivate and train local players by participating in the AFC Champions League Elite League, which is the only way for Chinese players to improve their strength, and it is also the only continental "track" for Chinese players outside the national team competition.

The three teams of the Chinese Super League have gone further in the elite league, and the significance of the competition is to maintain the bottom line that the Chinese Super League has three (2+1) places, as well as the status of the Chinese Super League in East Asia after the Japan and South Korea leagues. The economic significance is to obtain a stable income of at least 30 million yuan for the club. The social benefit is to attract more Chinese fans to the stadium through the success of the club's Asian competitions, support the development of the Chinese Super League and consolidate the foundation of youth training, so that the Chinese Super League club can achieve sustainable development. The Chinese Super League now needs the positive effects of winning in international competitions, and Shandong Taishan's performance in the AFC Champions League last year is a demonstration.

Chinese football needs an opportunity to rebound, and if the national team can enter the World Cup finals, it will be a huge industrial incentive; At the club level, the outstanding performance of Chinese Super League teams in the elite league can continue to motivate Chinese football to provide positive and healthy development. It is undeniable that there is still a significant gap between the strength of the three teams participating in the Chinese Super League and the strong teams of Japan and South Korea, and even the Johor DT and the Australian Super League champion Central Coast Mariners, who are almost "foreign aid teams", are not sure of winning. But it is in such an unfavorable background that the positive effect brought by every AFC Champions League victory is more worthy of the Chinese Super League teams to fight for and strive for.

In terms of format, fixtures and foreign quotas, it is more difficult for Chinese Super League teams to win in the elite league than ever. However, it is precisely because of the above-mentioned competitive, economic and social benefits that the Chinese Super League teams have no way out, but to face the difficulties and strive to win on the "second front" to promote the development of Chinese football.