China Championship. Regional League
The China Regional League (China League Two) stands as the third tier in China's professional football pyramid, featuring ambitious clubs and emerging talents from across the nation's provinces. It embodies the grassroots spirit of Chinese soccer, bridging urban powerhouses and rural underdogs in a quest for promotion to higher divisions.
History and foundation
Launched in 2004 as the China Football Association Jia League B, it evolved into League Two in 2022 with a regional structure to cut travel costs. A highlight: Hebei Elite's meteoric rise from this league to the Super League in 2019. The competition has weathered storms like the COVID-19 disruptions, with games in bio-secure bubbles, and match-fixing scandals in the 2010s that prompted stricter CFA oversight.
Tournament format
Divided into four regional groups—North, East, South, and West—each with 10-14 teams, the season runs March to October in a home-and-away double round-robin. Regional winners advance to playoffs for two promotions to League One, while runners-up compete in a secondary tournament. Bottom teams face relegation to League Three. Prize money is modest, but promotion transforms clubs overnight.
Interesting facts
Average goals per game hover at 2.7, emphasizing defensive resilience amid tight budgets. Top scorers include Fei Nan (28 goals in 2018 for Qingdao Hainiu) and Su Yuhui (22 in 2022). Standout alumni: Wei Shihao (Asian Cup 2019 winner, ex-Shanghai Port); prodigy Lin Liangzhe from Guangzhou, now in the Super League. It's a talent factory from obscure academies to national stars.