The China Football Association (CFA) added 17 individuals to its lifetime ban list today for match-fixing and gambling offenses, extending its ongoing crackdown on corruption in Chinese football [1, 2, 3, 4].
This third batch of sanctions involves a total of 65 people, with 17 receiving lifetime bans and 48 others suspended for up to five years from all football-related activities [2, 3, 4]. The CFA issued the penalties on June 21, 2026.
The banned individuals include former club presidents, general managers, coaches, and staff from clubs including Huaxia Happiness, Qingdao Zhongneng, Inner Mongolia Zhongyou, Shenzhen City, Meizhou Hakka, Qingdao Huanghai, and Xinjiang Tianshan Leopards [2, 3, 4]. Among those banned for life are Ding Yong and Wu Jingbo, both convicted by courts for criminal corruption offenses related to match-fixing [2, 3, 4].
Meizhou Hakka Football Club received further penalties after judicial findings revealed serious violations. The club was docked 6 league points in the 2026 season and fined RMB 800,000 (about USD 118,000) [2, 3, 4].
This latest disciplinary action follows two previous rounds: one in September 2024 that banned 116 individuals for life, including former CFA President Chen Xuyuan and former national team coach Li Tie, and a second batch issued in January 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4].
The CFA continues to investigate and sanction those involved in corruption to clean up the sport. The next scheduled official update or sanction announcement has not been publicly disclosed.
