After a late-season slump and back-to-back defeats, Chengdu need one point from two matches to secure their first Chinese Super League crown.
John Aloisi’s first season in China has brought Chengdu Rongcheng to the brink of a historic Chinese Super League title, but a late-season dip has made the finish more tense than it once appeared. The league leaders need one point from their final two matches to claim the club’s first championship.
Chengdu’s latest setback came on Sunday, when Kevin Muscat’s defending champions Shanghai Port beat them 3-0. After 28 rounds, Chengdu remain six points ahead of second-placed Dalian Yingbo, the only side still able to catch them.
“The current result is disheartening, and I’m determined to lead the team to victory,” Aloisi said after the loss. “Neither I nor the team can lose confidence.” He urged his players to show courage and mental strength, and asked supporters to stay behind the team as the title race reaches its final days.
A decisive meeting with Dalian
The next fixture could settle the contest. Chengdu host Dalian on Saturday, October 24, with kick-off scheduled for 6:30pm AEDT. Fellow Australian Marko Rudan is part of Dalian’s coaching staff. Chengdu then travel to face Shandong Taishan on Sunday, November 8, also at 6:30pm AEDT.
- Dalian Yingbo (home) — Saturday, October 24, 6:30pm AEDT
- Shandong Taishan (away) — Sunday, November 8, 6:30pm AEDT
The margin once looked far more comfortable. Chengdu had built a 14-point lead, but have managed only two wins in their past 12 league matches and have now lost consecutive games. Founded in 2018, the club is just eight years old; a title would be a rapid rise to the top of Chinese football.
Aloisi’s unexpected move to Chengdu
Aloisi, 50, left Western United amid uncertainty at the A-League club, where he had won the 2022 championship. The opportunity in China arrived “unexpectedly,” giving him his first coaching role abroad. Chengdu had finished third in 2025 and also needed a new manager after Seo Jung-won resigned in December, ending a five-year spell.
Aloisi arrived with an Australian staff that includes Diogo Ferreira, Harry Reading, Alex Calder and Shane Carr. The scale of the club is striking: Chengdu has 1.5 million registered members. “It’s virtually the population of Australia in one city,” Aloisi told Football360 earlier this year.
He has also described the atmosphere as the best he has experienced as a player or coach. The noise can make it difficult for players to hear instructions and for staff to hear a warm-up whistle, he said, but the intensity is part of what makes coaching in Chengdu memorable.
Australian coaches have shaped the title race
Aloisi could join a short list of Australians to win a men’s league title overseas, alongside Kevin Muscat, Ange Postecoglou, Anthony Limbrick and Ron Smith. Muscat led Shanghai Port to consecutive CSL titles in 2024 and 2025 before the club and several others were affected by points deductions tied to historical match-fixing and corruption cases.
The Chinese Football Association announced life bans for 73 people, including former national team coach Li Tie and former association president Chen Xuyuan. Thirteen clubs were implicated in the inquiry, and nine received points deductions. Li and Chen were convicted in 2024 of accepting bribes; Li received a 20-year prison sentence, while Chen was sentenced to life in prison.
Ross Aloisi’s Zhejiang FC and Nick Montgomery’s Beijing Guoan began 2026 on minus-five points, alongside Shanghai Port. Shanghai Shenhua started on minus-10. John Aloisi’s Chengdu was not involved in the cases, leaving its title bid to be decided on the pitch. One point across the final two fixtures would complete the story.
Discussion
Sign in to join the discussion.