Chengdu Rongcheng lose Chinese Super League title after leading for 29 rounds

Chengdu Rongcheng surrendered the Chinese Super League title on the final day of the season, despite having topped the table for 29 consecutive rounds, as Dalian Yingbo claimed the championship.

The two sides finished level on 52 points, but Dalian Yingbo were crowned champions after gaining the advantage in their head-to-head record.

The result marked the first league title in Dalian Yingbo’s history. The club, founded in 2021, secured the championship after winning each of their final five matches.

That run also earned Dalian Yingbo a place in next season’s AFC Champions League Elite.

Chengdu Rongcheng’s collapse came despite building a 12-point lead over their rivals during the campaign. However, they failed to win in their final five matches, drawing one and losing the other four.

Those results ended the hopes of the team that had remained top of the Chinese Super League for 29 successive rounds, with the title decided on the final day.

The league season began with nine teams receiving points deductions of varying sizes as part of China’s anti-corruption campaign, which followed allegations of match-fixing.