September 4: Upsets Continue! FA Cup Final Four Confirmed as Shenhua and Taishan Exit, Guoan and Harbour Set for Heavyweight Clash

Shenhua fell 0-1 away at Suoyu Bay, while Taishan were crushed 0-3 at home by Harbour. In the same week, two established clubs that had won the FA Cup before went separate ways at the crossroads called the quarterfinals.

The four semifinal spots went to Beijing Guoan, Shanghai Harbour, Yunnan Yukun and Dalian Yingbo.

Looking through the FA Cup records, this list feels somewhat unfamiliar.

At Jinan Olympic Sports Center, Shanghai Harbour visited Shandong Taishan. Before the match, many expected Taishan to have the advantage because of home conditions and their unbeaten record against Harbour in the previous four meetings. However, Harbour took the initiative away from home and launched efficient counterattacks from the opening minutes. Liu Zhurun, Anphem and Yang Xi scored in succession, with Yang Xi also providing an assist. When the score settled at 3-0, Taishan goalkeeper Yu Jinyong could barely remember how the goals had gone in.

At the same time in Dalian Suoyu Bay, Shanghai Shenhua gained a numerical advantage early but failed to turn it into victory. New head coach Milosevic has suffered three defeats in his first four matches in charge, highlighting the team's weaknesses in breaking down opponents at both ends of the pitch. Shenhua eventually lost 0-1 in an upset and stopped in the FA Cup quarterfinals.

Things were calmer at Beijing Workers' Stadium. Beijing Guoan, forced by competition rules to field an all-Chinese lineup, were equalized by China League Two side Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic at one point, but goals from Zhang Yuning and Cao Yongjing helped them complete a 3-1 comeback win and claim the final semifinal place among Chinese Super League teams.

In one day, two former giants went home. Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic, the only China League Two team left in the quarterfinals, also exited. For the first time, the semifinals were completely filled by Chinese Super League teams.

On the evening of September 2, Yunnan Yukun hosted Chongqing Tonglianglong at their high-altitude home ground.

In the 85th minute, Tonglianglong launched a long-ball attack and Kempanu went down inside the box. The referee initially awarded a penalty, but after VAR intervention, it was determined that an offside occurred first and no penalty was given. Yunnan Yukun eventually defeated Chongqing Tonglianglong 1-0 to reach this season's FA Cup semifinals, making the last four for two consecutive years.

At Yukun's home venue, Yuxi Plateau Sports Center, they have never been held scoreless at home in this season's FA Cup, scoring in all six home matches.

After the semifinalists were decided, the matchups are as follows:

Upper half: Beijing Guoan vs Shanghai Harbour

Lower half: Yunnan Yukun vs Dalian Yingbo

The lower half is more intriguing. Yunnan Yukun and Dalian Yingbo, two second-year Chinese Super League teams, have never reached the FA Cup final. That means whichever team wins the lower-half semifinal will reach the FA Cup final for the first time in club history.

The 53,178 spectators at Dalian Suoyu Bay that night set the single-match attendance record for the 2026 FA Cup. Yingbo's away win over Shenhua was their first-ever FA Cup semifinal appearance. Three years ago they were still fighting for a place among the final 48 teams; last season they reached the last 16, and now they are standing at the door of the semifinals.

Yukun, meanwhile, have reached the semifinals for two consecutive years. As a newly promoted team, they have never been shut out at home in cup competitions.

The Guoan-Harbour matchup has been called an "early final" by many media outlets.

Harbour enter with the momentum of a 3-0 win and a full squad. Liu Zhurun revealed after the match that he had just recovered from a low fever before starting and scoring, while Wu Lei was kept on the bench, meaning Harbour will have more tactical options when they face Guoan in the semifinal.

Guoan are the defending champions. Even with an all-Chinese lineup, they showed the foundation of a defending champion, with Cao Yongjing's individual effort sealing the victory.

The key factor is the timing. The two teams will meet again in the Chinese Super League on September 5. They will clash twice in less than two months, making the consecutive encounters full of suspense.

According to the official FA Cup schedule:

November 21: Beijing Guoan vs Shanghai Harbour (Beijing Workers' Stadium)

November 22: Dalian Yingbo vs Yunnan Yukun

December 6: Final, Suzhou Olympic Sports Centre (neutral venue)

The semifinals are decided in a single match. A draw goes to extra time, and if still level, a penalty shootout follows.

The timing in November is delicate. The league will have just ended, and injuries, fitness and foreign-player form will all be variables. For established teams like Harbour and Guoan competing on two fronts, the schedule is a burden; for Yingbo and Yukun, it could instead be a chance to benefit from rest.

The value of the FA Cup title lies in the AFC Champions League places.

According to the Chinese Football Association's official notice on May 19, the 2026/27 Chinese Super League season has two direct AFC Champions League Elite places and one direct AFC Champions League Two place. The 2025 Chinese Super League champion and FA Cup champion qualify directly for the AFC Champions League Elite, while the league runner-up goes directly to AFC Champions League Two.

For the four semifinalists in the 2026 season:

Harbour: The FA Cup has become the most realistic route for Harbour to secure AFC Champions League Elite qualification for next season.

Guoan: Retaining the FA Cup title would consolidate their continental qualification and continue their championship momentum.

Yukun and Yingbo: If they reach the final or even win the title, they would directly rewrite their clubs' continental futures, especially with Taishan suspended from continental competition for two seasons and Yunnan Yukun included among teams eligible for AFC qualification replacement places.

The chain reaction from Shenhua's exit: Taishan's dream of reaching the AFC Champions League Elite through the cup has ended, and their remaining goal is AFC Champions League Two qualification; Shenhua now need to fully refocus on the league.

This underlying factor determines the intensity of every semifinal battle. The cup title is no longer just a matter of honor, but a real ticket to continental competition.

The Guoan-Harbour semifinal has been called an "early final" by many media outlets. One side has the roaring home atmosphere of Workers' Stadium, while the other has a fully available five-foreign-player attacking group in strong form.

However, the lower-half matchup between Yukun and Yingbo features two second-year Chinese Super League teams that have never reached the FA Cup final. After the November 22 match, one team will create a new record in club history.

So the question is,

Will the "giants' dominance" in the cup that Chinese Super League fans have talked about for more than a decade continue with one of Guoan or Harbour, or will it truly give way to Yukun or Yingbo?

The two stadiums in Beijing and Yuxi on November 21 and 22 will provide their own answers.