The Chinese Football Federation (CFA) has announced lifetime bans from all football-related activities for 73 individuals, including prominent figures such as former national team coach Li Tie and senior officials from 13 different clubs across China. These severe penalties stem from widespread involvement in match-fixing and the manipulation of game results.
This significant development is part of a broader, intensive anti-corruption campaign championed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, which has increasingly focused on the nation’s football sector in recent years. The crackdown has uncovered extensive corruption, illegal betting, and pre-arranged match outcomes in numerous Chinese football matches, leading to a major overhaul within the sport.
The past few years have seen many senior CFA officials resign or face arrest, while numerous players have been prohibited from football activities due to their involvement in match manipulation and illicit betting. The CFA’s latest announcement underscores China’s determined efforts to eradicate corruption from its football landscape.
Among those penalized, Li Tie, a former Everton player who managed the Chinese national team from 2019 to 2021, has not only been banned for life from football but was also sentenced to 20 years in prison. His court ruling was finalized in December 2024. Furthermore, former CFA chairman Chen Xuyuan has been handed a life sentence in prison for accepting bribes totaling over $11 million.
The repercussions of the scandal extend to the club level as well. For the upcoming 2025 Chinese Premier League season, 11 out of 16 competing clubs are set to face relegation and substantial fines from the CFA due to the involvement of their players in pre-match fixing schemes.
