The 15-Year Rise and Fall of Guangzhou Evergrande: From Asian Glory to Leaving Professional Football

On March 1, 2010, in Guangzhou, Xu Jiayin declared the goals of reaching Asia's top level within three years and winning the AFC Champions League within five years. Many questioned whether a property company taking over a second-tier club was only a dream.

Less than four years later, Guangzhou Evergrande won the AFC Champions League on November 9, 2013, becoming the first Chinese club to win the reformed competition; it reached the summit of Asia again in 2015.

From 2011 to 2019, Guangzhou won eight Chinese league titles and in 2017 matched and surpassed Dalian Shide's top-flight consecutive title record.

The success was built on massive financial investment.

From the takeover in 2010 to the first AFC Champions League title in 2013, the club invested more than 2 billion yuan, signing players such as Cleo, Muriqui and Conca and hiring Marcello Lippi.

The club also raised bonus standards significantly, with the 2013 double-winning season involving bonuses estimated by media reports at several hundred million yuan.

Capital cooperation entered in 2014, and the club's valuation once reached a very high level, marking the era of big spending in Chinese football.

In 2017, many world-class foreign players joined the Chinese league, with high salaries becoming a major feature.

However, the achievements depended on a huge financial chain, and problems emerged after that chain broke.

Guangzhou won the league again in 2019, but spending on naturalized players was enormous and debt pressure continued to grow.

In 2021 the team was renamed Guangzhou FC, was relegated in 2022, and Xu Jiayin was placed under legal measures in 2023.

On January 6, 2025, Guangzhou FC failed to obtain professional league admission and officially left Chinese professional football.

Opinions on Evergrande remain divided, with some criticizing the model while others recognize the glory it brought.

On August 20, 2026, a first-instance verdict was issued in the related case, with Evergrande Group and relevant individuals receiving legal penalties.

The verdict involved crimes and violations including financial fraud, illegal fundraising and securities-related offenses.

Public information showed a huge gap between recovered liquidation assets and claimed debts, leaving major repayment pressure.

On August 22, the business license of Evergrande Life was revoked and related financial officials were also punished.

Although Guangzhou football lost the former Evergrande team, new forces continue.

There is no former Evergrande-related club in the 2026 professional system, but a new team with Evergrande academy roots entered national competitions.

At related launch events, former Guangzhou figures and supporters continued to express support for Guangzhou football.

The phrase 'Guangzhou FC is gone, but Guangzhou football is not dead' became an emotional expression for many fans.

The memory of the 2013 AFC Champions League victory remains, and the team's honors cannot simply be erased.

The rise and collapse of Evergrande is widely seen as showing the risks of the big-spending football model.

The changes at Evergrande did not happen suddenly, but developed after years of financial pressure.

Whether new teams can recreate Guangzhou football's glory will require time to prove.

The article's information includes public judicial materials and media reports.

The Supreme People's Court released information on the first-instance verdict.

Relevant courts in Shenzhen published information on judgments involving the case.

Media previously reported on Evergrande football's early investment and development.

Several sports media outlets reviewed Xu Jiayin and Evergrande football's history.

Financial media reported on the background of Evergrande taking over Guangzhou football.

Media reported Guangzhou FC's withdrawal from professional football.

Media reported that Guangdong Chuang'erte entered competitions with a youth-based squad.

Media reported that Evergrande Life's business license was revoked.

The article uses Guangzhou Evergrande's rise and fall to review an important chapter in Chinese football history.