Guangzhou FC: Fall of an Era

Once the crown jewel of Chinese football, Guangzhou FC, also formerly known as Guangzhou Evergrande, dominated Asian football with 8 CSL Championships between 2011 to 2019 and 2 AFC Champions League titles. In its prime, Guangzhou Evergrande ranked 11th in FIFA club rankings and became a household name in Europe after facing teams like Barcelona and Bayern Munich in international club competitions. However, the club faced financial problems and eventually disbanded as of January 2025.

The Glory Days

Guangzhou FC was founded back in 1954 as a modest provincial team in the Guangdong province of China. The club was one of the oldest professional clubs in the country, and gained mass following after the rise of football in China.

Guangzhou FC dominated the early days of the CSL, winning 7 titles in a row. The club signed global superstars like Paulinho and Elkeson, paired with World Cup-winning coaches Marcello Lippi, Luiz Scolari, and Fabio Cannavaro. At its peak, Guangzhou FC was by far the most valuable Asian club, valued at over $300 million. Guangzhou FC went on to dominate the AFC, winning two Champions League titles and gaining worldwide recognition as “the powerhouse of the East”

The Fall

The club’s downfall was tied to the implosion of its parent company, Evergrande Group, which faced a $300+ billion debt crisis in 2021. There were many factors contributing to the eventual collapse of Guangzhou FC. The CFA set guidelines that restricted corporate sponsorship of clubs. The Evergrande Group was also unable to fund the club. Foreign players and coaches fled back to Europe and South America, and the club struggled with success in the league.

The final nail in the coffin was COVID-19, destroying the Chinese Football Economy completely. Guangzhou FC had to let off players, relying on young players from their academy playing on minimal wages, while also struggling to pay off previous salary debts. By 2022. Guangzhou FC was all but a shadow of its former self. They finished second last in the CSL, facing relegation into the second division of Chinese football. After another two silent years and many failed attempts at a comeback, including a period of state-endorsed ownership by the Chinese government. The club just couldn’t pay off the massive debt left by the Evergrande group’s poor ownership. Fans rallied in, taking money out of their own pockets in hopes of creating a miracle. However, this story was not a fairy tale. Guangzhou FC officially dissolved in January 2025, leaving many fans across China heartbroken.

The same year the club disbanded, a massive anti-corruption campaign swept through the Chinese Football Association. Dozens of top officials, including CFA president Chen Xuyuan, were arrested on charges of bribery, match-fixing, and financial misconduct. Many of the CSL’s biggest clubs had operated as corporate projects, more interested in political favor than footballing integrity.

Lessons to be Learned

Guangzhou’s rise was meteoric, and so was its demise. In a short span of 15 years, a team went from dominating Asian football to disbanding in total humiliation. The end of Guangzhou FC revealed many problems. It proved that money cannot build a football culture, and that shortcuts to success came at a cost. The club may be gone, but it serves as a harsh lesson for football clubs in China.