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Dalian Professional Football Club (Chinese: 大连人职业足球俱乐部; pinyin: Dàlián Rén Zhíyè Zúqiú Jùlèbù; lit. 'The Dalianese F.C.'), known as Dalian Pro, was a Chinese professional football club based in Dalian, Liaoning, which mostly competed in the Chinese Super League. Dalian Pro played its home matches at various grounds across Dalian, including the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium, the Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium, the Jinzhou Stadium, and the Puwan Stadium.

Key Information

The club was refounded on September 20, 2009, by Dalian Aerbin Group Company, Ltd., and started from the third tier of the Chinese football pyramid, China League Two. Winning two consecutive league titles in the second and third tier professional football leagues, they were promoted to the top tier in the 2012 Chinese Super League season, where they experienced their highest ever placing of fifth in the same season.[1] In 2014, they were relegated from the Chinese Super League. In December 2015, they were renamed Dalian Yifang Football Club. In October 2017, they were crowned champions of China League One and once again secured promotion to the Chinese Super League. On May 25, 2019, Dalian Yifang Football Club was renamed Dalian Professional Football Club, with the new logo unveiled on January 21, 2020. The team dissolved on 17 January 2024 due to unaffordable historical debts.

History

[edit]

Dalian Aerbin (2009–2014)

[edit]

On September 20, 2009, Dalian Aerbin Group Co. Ltd. established a new professional football club named Dalian Aerbin (Chinese: 大连阿尔滨) and hired former Chinese footballer Li Ming to become the club manager. The club's name Aerbin comes from the Manchu language, meaning a place with water, which is also the name of a small town in Jinzhou District of Dalian where Dalian Aerbin Group Co. Ltd is located. They would soon move into the Dalian University Stadium in the Dalian Development Area and bring in Chi Shangbin as their co-manager and Sun Xianlu as their head coach.[2] Starting in the third-tier league, the club made their debut in the 2010 China League Two season. The club brought in established top-tier Chinese Super League players such as Guo Hui, Chang Lin, and Yang Lin. The quality of these players helped the club win their regional division section and later, the league title over Tianjin Songjiang as the club won the championship.[3]

In the following season, the club hired its first foreign coach, Bulgarian manager Aleksandar Stankov. Dalian Aerbin F.C. set up a surprising winning streak and won the 2011 China League One championship.[4] With their meteoric rise to the Super League, the club decided to use the 30,775-seater Jinzhou Stadium as its home stadium and shared it with their local rival Dalian Shide, as well as signing a more experienced manager in Chang Woe-Ryong, who had previously managed in the Chinese Super League with Qingdao Jonoon.[5] The club initially struggled in the league and the club brought in Aleksandar Stanojević as the head coach.[6] By July 11, 2012, Dalian Aerbin brought in a marquee player in the form of former Barcelona F.C. midfielder Seydou Keita, who departed the Spanish team on a free transfer and helped ensure Dalian Aerbin remained within the league.[7] At the end of the 2012 league season, Stanojevć managed to not only avoid relegation but actually guided the club to fifth within the league.

On 30 November 2012, Aerbin Group acquired the local rival Dalian Shide F.C. by taking on responsibility of their 330 million RMB debt after Dalian Shide's chairman Xu Ming was arrested for bribing and corruption.[8] In the hope of bringing in a harmonious merger of the two teams, former Dalian Shide manager Xu Hong was brought in for the start of the 2013 Chinese Super League. However, after only 63 days in charge, he had to resign after the Chinese Football Association found that he had manipulated a match while he was a manager at Sichuan First City and was given a 5-year suspension from all football activity, which forced Li Ming to start the season as their caretaker manager.[9] The Chinese Football Association called off this merger, according to regulations, and decided that former Dalian Shide players should join the free market, while Dalian Aerbin could only sign them through a normal transfer, 5 at most, instead of taking over the whole team.[10] This incident caused Aerbin to face some serious financial problems, being unable to pay the salaries, bonuses, or even maintenance of the stadium.[11] At the end of the 2014 Chinese Super League, Aerbin was relegated to China League One.

Dalian Yifang (2015–2019)

[edit]

With Dalian Aerbin back in the China League One division and with the loss of revenue generated from being in the top tier, the club could not afford to maintain their squad, which saw a mass exodus of players.[12] Mikael Stahre was hired as the head coach at the start of the 2015 league campaign and looked to be pushing for promotion, which saw Dalian Yifang Group Co. Ltd on 8 July 2015, buy majority shares within the club.[13] The purchase was promoted by Wang Jianlin and his Dalian Wanda Group, who are a main shareholder of the Yifang Group (一方, "one region"), with the investment signaling a return of football ownership from Wang Jianlin, who had previously owned Dalian Wanda F.C.[14] The club failed to win promotion back into the top tier after finishing third place at the end of the 2015 season and officially changed their name to Dalian Yifang F.C. (Chinese: 大连一方) in December 2015.[15] On 10 July 2015, in a press conference to confirm the Yifang Group's investment, the general manager, Shi Xueqing (石雪清), admitted that the club was still losing money.[16]

In the 2017 China League One season, Dalian Yifang won the division title and promotion back into the top tier under head coach Juan Ramón López Caro.[17] Despite this success, the Dalian Football Association announced that he was being replaced by Ma Lin, which saw speculation grow that the club was still in financial difficulties and was looking for the local government Dalian Sports Bureau to take over the club.[18] On 20 February 2018, the Wanda Group took full control on the club after selling their 17% share in Atlético Madrid to Israeli businessman Idan Ofer on 14 February 2018.[19] The Wanda Group would use the money taken from Atlético Madrid and invest it in bringing in Argentinian international Nicolás Gaitán and Belgium international Yannick Carrasco.[20]

The team and the Wanda Group sought further influence in the 2019 season. In February 2019, the club completed another marquee signing from Europe, this time acquiring the services of Napoli man Marek Hamšík, who signed for a reported fee of about €20 million (£18m/$23m). Gaitán left the team to play for the MLS side Chicago Fire after just one season.[21] The team signed with Korean manager Choi Kang-hee, but had less-than-expected performance as the league went halfways. In July 2019, Dalian Pro ended contract with Choi, while Rafael Benítez was introduced to the team, that he "was impressed by chairman Wang's passion and future plan on football".[22][23] Salomon Rondon also joined from Newcastle United, as a response to Benítez's call.

Dalian Pro (2020–2024)

[edit]

On 21 January 2020, Dalian Yifang changed their name to Dalian Pro.[24] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Chinese Super League did not start until July, after which, Carrasco decided to leave the team. Dalian Pro and Benitez focused on aggressive promotion of young players, putting older players down to the reserves, as the 2020 league did not have much relegation pressure.

In January 2021, Benítez and Dalian Pro parted ways.[25] Hamsik and Rondon also decided to leave. As the CSL introduced further limits on salary cap and transfer fees, the team seemed to reach a post-marquee era by not introducing new foreign players and remained low-profile. The team appointed José González, but was relegated to China League One after the season.

On 12 March 2022, Dalian Pro announced major changes in its owners. Wanda Group decided to quit, and the team would be taken over temporarily by a government-led reforming work team. Past debts and operating costs of the first team, youth training facilities, and projects for the next three years would still be covered by Wanda Group. The Dalian Pro Academy Base was donated to DETA Holdings (德泰控股), a state-invested company in Dalian.[26]

On 27 May 2022, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) announced that Dalian Pro, which had been relegated from the top flight at the end of last season, would compete in the 18-team top flight, as a replacement for disbanded club Chongqing Liangjiang Athletic.[27]

Dalian Pro were relegated from the Chinese Super League once again in 2023, and failed to acquire the entry permission into the 2024 league due to historical debts. The team announced its cease of operations on 17 January 2024.[28]

Ownership and naming history

[edit]
Year Owner Club name
2009–15 Dalian Aerbin Group Dalian Aerbin Football Club
2015 Dalian Yifang Group
2016–2020 Dalian Yifang Football Club
2020–2021 Dalian Wanda Group Dalian Professional Football Club
2022–2024 Football Reform Workgroup of Dalian (Government-based) Dalian Professional Football Club

Crest history

[edit]
  • Dalian Aerbin logo used between 2009 and 2015
    Dalian Aerbin logo used between 2009 and 2015
  • Dalian Yifang logo used between 2016 and 2019
    Dalian Yifang logo used between 2016 and 2019
  • Dalian Pro logo used from 2020 to dissolution in 2024
    Dalian Pro logo used from 2020 to dissolution in 2024

Last coaching staff

[edit]
As of 16 May 2022
First team
Head coach China Xie Hui
Assistant coach Hong Kong Ng Wai Chiu
Assistant coach China Chang Lin
Goalkeeping coach Brazil Everton da Rocha Santos
Fitness coach Spain Alex Ros Cladella
Tactical Analyst Spain Aitor Calero Garcia
Reserve and youth teams
Reserve (U-23) coach Spain David Rivas Martínez
U-21 coach China Liu Yujian[29]
U-21 assistant coach China Zhou Ting
U-19 coach China Sun Wei
U-17 coach China Zhang Yaokun
U-17 assistant coach China Zou Peng
U-17 assistant coach China Li Wenbo
U-15 coach China Zhao Peng
U-15 assistant coach China Chi Yaojun
U-14 coach China Li Yang
U-15 assistant coach China Zou Jie
U-13 coach China Wang Zhaochen

Managerial history

[edit]
As of 16 April 2021[30][citation needed]
Managers Period
China Chi Shangbin Jan 1, 2009 – Dec 31, 2010
China Sun Xianlu 2010
Bulgaria Aleksandar Stankov June 2010 – Dec 11, 2011
South Korea Chang Woe-ryong Jan 1, 2012 – Apr 3, 2012
Serbia Aleksandar Stanojević Apr 4, 2012 – Nov 9, 2012
China Xu Hong Dec 11, 2012 – Feb 18, 2013
China Li Ming (interim) Feb 18, 2013 – June 5, 2013
Bosnia and Herzegovina Simo Krunić June 3, 2013 – Dec 5, 2013
China Ma Lin Nov 5, 2013 – May 28, 2014
Japan Yasuharu Kurata May 30, 2014 – Dec 19, 2014
Sweden Mikael Stahre Jan 5, 2015 – July 5, 2016
Serbia Milinko Pantić July 5, 2016 – Aug 31, 2016
Spain Sergio Piernas Aug 31, 2016 – Nov 29, 2016
Spain Juan Ramón López Caro Nov 29, 2016 – Dec 26, 2017
China Ma Lin Dec 26, 2017 – Mar 20, 2018
Germany Bernd Schuster Mar 20, 2018 – Feb 11, 2019
South Korea Choi Kang-hee Feb 11, 2019 – July 1, 2019
Spain Rafael Benítez July 1, 2019 – Jan 23, 2021
Spain José González Apr 16, 2021 – Dec 31, 2021
China Xie Hui Mar 19, 2022 – Dec 31, 2023

Honours

[edit]

Results

[edit]

All-time League Rankings

As of the end of the 2023 season[32][33]
Year Div Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Pos. FA Cup Super Cup AFC Att./G Stadium
2010 3 21 14 3 4 37 14 23 34 1 W NH NH DNQ Dalian University Stadium
2011 2 26 16 6 4 45 20 25 54 W R2 NH DNQ
2012 1 30 11 11 8 51 46 5 44 5 QF DNQ DNQ 15,774 Jinzhou Stadium
2013 1 30 11 8 11 40 43 −3 41 5 SF DNQ DNQ 10,538
2014 1 30 6 11 13 32 45 −13 29 15 R3 DNQ DNQ 10,993 Dalian Sports Centre Stadium
2015 2 30 17 7 6 46 22 24 58 3 R3 DNQ DNQ 15,233
2016 2 30 14 3 13 43 44 −1 45 5 R3 DNQ DNQ 10,806
2017 2 30 19 7 4 48 23 25 64 W R3 DNQ DNQ 20,596
2018 1 30 10 5 15 37 57 −20 35 11 SF DNQ DNQ 33,145
2019 1 30 10 8 12 44 51 −7 38 9 SF DNQ DNQ 32,853
2020 1 14 2 5 7 18 21 −3 112 12 R1 DNQ DNQ −3 −3
2021 1 22 6 1 15 21 37 −16 19 15 QF DNQ DNQ −4 −4
2022 1 34 12 9 13 49 53 -4 45 11 R2 DNQ DNQ Puwan Stadium
Dalian Sports Centre Stadium
2023 1 30 3 11 16 25 47 -22 20 15 SF DNQ DNQ 18,031 Dalian Sports Centre Stadium
Dalian Barracuda Bay Football Stadium
  • ^1 in group stage
  • ^2 in group stage.
  • ^3 the 2020 Chinese Super League was held behind closed doors most of the time; attendance and stadium not applicable.
  • ^4 the 2021 Chinese Super League was held behind closed doors most of the time; attendance and stadium not applicable.
Key

Past and present internationals

[edit]

Had international caps for their respective countries.

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Dalian Professional F.C.

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Professional Football Club was a football club based in , province, , that competed in the , the top tier of Chinese football, until its dissolution in January 2024 due to overwhelming historical debts. Founded on September 20, 2009, as Dalian Aerbin Football Club, it initially played in lower divisions before achieving promotion to the Super League in 2012. The club experienced name changes, becoming Dalian Yifang in 2016 amid ownership shifts involving the , and later adopting Dalian Professional in 2020. Despite notable periods of competitiveness, including a 15th-place finish in the that spared it from immediate relegation, Dalian Professional struggled with financial sustainability stemming from prior extravagant spending on player contracts and operations. The club's home matches were held at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium, which has a capacity of 61,000 spectators. Its dissolution on January 17, 2024, followed the Chinese Football Association's denial of a participation for the upcoming , marking it as the latest casualty in a wave of financial collapses among teams burdened by legacy debts from the league's boom years. This event underscored broader structural challenges in Chinese professional football, including unsustainable investment models and regulatory pressures to address fiscal irregularities.

History

Founding as Dalian Aerbin (2009–2014)

Dalian Aerbin Football Club was founded on September 20, 2009, by the Dalian Aerbin Group Company, Ltd., a major construction firm in led by chairman Zhao Mingyang. The club commenced operations in the third tier of the , entering the inaugural competition in 2010. Guided by manager Chi Shangbin, Dalian Aerbin demonstrated rapid ascent by clinching the 2010 China League Two championship, earning promotion to for the 2011 season. In their debut League One campaign, the team captured the title, securing elevation to the (CSL) ahead of 2012. This back-to-back promotion underscored the club's aggressive investment strategy, backed by Aerbin Group's resources in and . Upon entering the CSL in 2012, Dalian Aerbin invested over 200 million RMB in squad enhancements and operations during their inaugural top-flight season. The team finished 10th in the league standings, establishing a competitive presence. In November 2012, Zhao Mingyang acquired the struggling CSL club Dalian Shide, prompting discussions of a potential merger with Aerbin to consolidate 's professional football representation; however, Chinese football authorities blocked the integration. The 2013 season saw Dalian Aerbin maintain mid-table stability in the CSL, concluding 11th. Performance declined in 2014, with the club ending 15th and facing relegation to after accumulating insufficient points to avoid the drop. This period marked the end of the club's initial phase under the Aerbin branding, highlighting both its swift rise and challenges in sustaining top-tier competitiveness.

Rebranding to Dalian Yifang and CSL Promotion (2015–2019)

In 2015, following relegation from the the previous year, Dalian Aerbin was acquired by the Dalian Yifang Group, a firm, which purchased majority shares and rebranded the club as Dalian Yifang F.C. The change reflected the new ownership's influence, aligning the club's identity with the group's corporate interests while maintaining its base in , province. Under the new name, Dalian Yifang competed in the during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, focusing on squad rebuilding and stability in the second tier. The club gradually improved its standing, setting the stage for a title challenge. In 2017, managed by Spanish coach Juan Ramón López Caro, Dalian Yifang clinched the championship, securing promotion to the for the 2018 season with a dominant performance atop the standings. Upon returning to the top flight in , Dalian Yifang invested heavily in high-profile signings, including Atlético Madrid's and , to bolster competitiveness. The team started sluggishly, prompting a managerial switch after three matches from Ma Lin to . Despite early struggles, they achieved notable results, such as a 3-0 upset victory over defending champions Evergrande, and finished 11th with a record of 10 wins, 5 draws, and 15 losses, accumulating 35 points while ensuring survival by contributing to Changchun Yatai's relegation in a 2-0 final-day win. The 2019 season saw further ambition, exemplified by the signing of Napoli midfielder on February 2, which aimed to elevate the squad's international pedigree. Dalian Yifang ended the campaign in 9th place with 10 wins, 8 draws, and 12 losses for 38 points, maintaining mid-table security amid the league's financial flux. Ownership ties to the , announced by chairman in April, underscored growing corporate backing during this period.

Era as Dalian Pro and Competitive Struggles (2020–2023)

In early 2020, Dalian Yifang rebranded as Dalian Professional Football Club to align with Chinese Football Association reforms promoting neutral, city-based naming conventions over corporate affiliations. The club unveiled its new logo on January 21, 2020, marking the start of the Dalian Pro era in the Chinese Super League (CSL). Under Spanish manager Rafael Benítez, who had joined in July 2019, the team navigated a pandemic-disrupted season featuring a group stage followed by separate championship and relegation rounds among 16 clubs. Dalian Pro earned just three regular-season victories but advanced through the relegation group and secured survival via playoff success against lower-table opponents. Benítez's tenure emphasized defensive organization amid limited attacking output, with the club conceding heavily in several matches. Benítez departed by mutual consent on January 23, , citing strategic differences after overseeing mid-table stability in the prior year. Successors, including interim and Chinese coaches, failed to reverse the team's downward trajectory in the expanded and CSL campaigns, where Dalian Pro endured consistent losses and draws, often finishing in the lower half of standings with win tallies under five per season. Heavy defeats, such as 0-5 against Shanghai Port in and multiple 0-3 reverses in , highlighted defensive frailties and squad inconsistencies, exacerbated by player turnover and limited investment amid league-wide financial scrutiny. The club managed only sporadic home wins, like a 2-0 over Cangzhou Mighty Lions in August , but accumulated insufficient points to challenge for safety. The 2023 season epitomized Dalian Pro's competitive decline, with the team recording a league-worst three wins, 11 draws, and 16 losses across 30 matches, totaling 20 points and a 15th-place finish in the 16-team CSL. A 2-3 home to Shanghai Port on November 4 confirmed relegation to , capping a campaign marked by poor away form (zero wins) and reliance on aging or underperforming imports. Despite occasional resilience in draws, systemic issues in goal conversion and squad depth prevented any recovery, setting the stage for broader operational challenges.

Financial Collapse and Dissolution (2024)

Dalian Professional F.C. announced its dissolution on January 17, 2024, with immediate effect, citing an inability to resolve longstanding financial obligations that prevented the club from obtaining a license to participate in the 2024 season of the Chinese second-tier league. The decision followed the club's relegation from the Chinese Super League at the end of the 2023 season, after which it failed to meet the Chinese Football Association's thresholds for professional league admission, including clearance of unpaid wages and debts. The primary causes were accumulated historical debts from aggressive spending during the Chinese Super League's investment boom in the mid-to-late , including high-value player contracts and operational costs that became unsustainable amid a subsequent league-wide financial contraction. Despite efforts by club management and external parties to restructure these liabilities, the burdens—exacerbated by unpaid salaries to players and staff—rendered continued operations impossible without violating league regulations or risking further . In its official statement, the club expressed regret, noting: "It's a pity, but we are no longer able to fight together with our partners," while acknowledging the support from fans and stakeholders over its 15-year history. This collapse marked Dalian Professional as the latest casualty in a series of Chinese professional club dissolutions triggered by the post-2019 measures and economic pressures in domestic football, where at least 35 clubs had disbanded since due to similar debt overhangs from prior extravagance. The dissolution ended all competitive activities, with no successor entity immediately formed, leaving without a top-tier professional representative and highlighting ongoing structural vulnerabilities in the Chinese Football Association's governance framework.

Ownership and Governance

Key Ownership Transitions

Dalian Professional F.C. originated in 2009 under the ownership of the Aerbin Group, which established the club as Dalian Aerbin F.C. in the . The Aerbin Group's backing enabled rapid promotions through the lower divisions, culminating in entry to the by 2012. In July 2015, following a decline in the Aerbin Group's business fortunes, ownership transferred to the Yifang Group, a firm, prompting the rebranding to Dalian Yifang F.C. This acquisition aligned with the Yifang Group's expansion interests and supported the club's promotion to the in 2016. By February 2018, the Dalian Wanda Group, a major conglomerate previously involved in Dalian football through the earlier Dalian Wanda F.C. (sold in ), assumed control of the club. Wanda's involvement facilitated high-profile signings and infrastructure investments but coincided with the 2020 rebranding to Dalian Professional F.C., reflecting regulatory shifts away from corporate naming. Wanda retained ownership through periods of competitive decline and mounting financial pressures, including relegation in 2023. The club's inability to secure licensing for the 2024 season, due to unresolved debts exceeding operational sustainability, led to its dissolution on January 18, 2024, without a viable successor owner emerging.

Naming and Corporate Affiliations

Dalian Professional F.C. originated as Dalian Aerbin Football Club, established on , 2009, under the ownership of Dalian Aerbin Group Company, Ltd., a firm that initiated the club's formation in China's third-tier league. The name directly reflected this corporate affiliation, common in Chinese football during the era when clubs often adopted sponsor or parent company titles. In 2015, Dalian Yifang Group Co., Ltd. assumed title sponsorship and operational control, prompting a rebranding to Dalian Yifang F.C. to align with the new backer's identity in real estate and development sectors. This shift maintained the pattern of corporate naming, bolstered by indirect support from Dalian Wanda Group, whose chairman Wang Jianlin facilitated investments and viewed the club as a vehicle for reviving Wanda's historical ties to Dalian football after a two-decade absence. Wanda's involvement, including as a major shareholder in Yifang Group, underscored the conglomerate's broader sponsorship of the Chinese Super League since 2011. Responding to the Chinese Football Association's 2019 reform directive to eliminate commercial names for greater professionalism and fan identification, the club transitioned to Dalian Professional Football Club (Chinese: 大连人足球俱乐部) effective May 2019, with the updated logo revealed on January 21, 2020. This neutral designation severed overt corporate branding while retaining underlying Wanda Group funding, though escalating debts tied to prior high-profile signings and Wanda's financial strains contributed to operational instability.
PeriodNamePrimary Corporate Affiliation
2009–2014Dalian Aerbin F.C.Dalian Aerbin Group Co., Ltd.
2015–2019Dalian Yifang F.C.Dalian Yifang Group Co., Ltd. (Wanda-backed)
2020–2024Dalian Professional F.C.Wanda Group investments (neutral name policy)

Infrastructure and Operations

Home Stadium and Facilities

Dalian Professional F.C. primarily hosted its home matches at the Dalian Sports Centre Stadium, a multi-purpose venue in , province, featuring a capacity of 61,000 seats and opened in 2013 for the . The stadium encompasses a main alongside facilities for , with an elliptical design covered by 2,745 cushions for weather protection and a total building area of 120,000 square meters across 135,000 square meters of land. In the 2023 Chinese Super League season, the club shifted to the Dalian Suoyuwan Football Stadium as its primary home ground, a football-specific arena completed in 2023 with a capacity of 63,677 seats, constructed on an artificial promontory overlooking Suoyu Bay for enhanced scenic integration and fan experience. Built by the China State Construction Engineering Corporation starting in 2020, the venue prioritizes professional match standards, including modern lighting, seating, and pitch surfaces certified for high-level competition. The club's training infrastructure included the Dalian Football Youth Training Center in Ganjingzi District, spanning 22 hectares with a total construction area of 88,500 square meters, featuring 23 dedicated training pitches, indoor facilities, and a 5,000-seat auxiliary designed to accommodate multiple teams simultaneously. Developed during the club's affiliation with , these facilities incorporated FIFA-certified systems and high-standard professional fields, supporting youth development and first-team preparation until the club's dissolution in 2024.

Training Academy and Youth Development

Dalian Professional F.C., during its tenure as Dalian Yifang under Wanda Group ownership, constructed the Dalian Youth Football Training Base, a comprehensive facility spanning 22 hectares with 90,000 square meters of built area and a total investment of 2 billion yuan. The base, which opened in December 2019, features 23 football pitches—including 12 standard fields, six floodlit, two with under-soil heating, two indoor pitches, and one equipped with a 5,000-seat stand—alongside five specialized buildings providing accommodations, teaching spaces, rehabilitation centers, and conference facilities. Designed to accommodate up to 18 teams and 600 coaches and athletes, it supported the club's first team, reserves, youth squads, and women's teams while also serving local primary and middle school students for training and competitions. Youth development initiatives emphasized infrastructure to bridge talent gaps, with Wanda committing an additional 50 million yuan annually to equip 10 primary schools as feeder programs. Each school fielded six teams under the guidance of 8-10 specialized Chinese and foreign coaches focused on training methodologies. These efforts integrated with Wanda's longstanding "Future Stars of Chinese Football" program, launched in , which annually selected and dispatched around 30 promising to train at European clubs such as . The organized domestic leagues and facilitated international exchanges to enhance player exposure and skill development. In December 2020, Dalian Pro established a three-year partnership with to create a Football at the , prioritizing advancements for youth and grassroots levels. The collaboration piloted tools like an to optimize training data and player monitoring, with plans for co-hosted events to test emerging technologies aimed at cultivating international-caliber players from the 's ranks. This initiative underscored an intent to leverage for scalable youth progression amid China's broader football reforms.

Achievements and Records

Domestic Honours

Dalian Professional F.C., founded in 2009 as Dalian Aerbin, achieved its primary domestic successes in the second-tier China League One, securing promotion to the top-flight Chinese Super League on two occasions through championship victories. The club clinched the 2011 China League One title, marking its first ascent to the Chinese Football Association Super League (then known as Chinese Super League) for the 2012 season, though it was relegated after one year. In the 2017 season, operating as Dalian Yifang, the team again won the championship with a record of 18 wins, 8 draws, and 4 losses, accumulating 62 points and earning promotion back to the for 2018. This second-tier triumph represented the club's most recent and notable league honor prior to its struggles in the top division. Despite participating in the from 2018 to 2023, Dalian Professional did not win the league title or achieve runner-up finishes, consistently placing in the lower half of the table, including a 15th-place finish in 2023 that led to relegation proceedings interrupted by dissolution. The club also holds no records of victories in major domestic cup competitions, such as the or Chinese Super Cup, with no documented triumphs in these tournaments across its history.

League Performance and Statistics

Dalian Professional F.C. first competed in the (CSL) in 2012 following promotion as champions the previous year. Their inaugural top-flight season resulted in a strong 5th-place finish, accumulating 44 points from 30 matches with 11 wins, 11 draws, and 8 losses, while scoring 51 goals and conceding 46. The club maintained mid-table status in 2013 before relegation after finishing 15th in 2014 with only 24 points. After spending 2015–2017 in , where they clinched the title in 2017 for promotion, Dalian returned to the CSL in 2018 and recorded consistent but unremarkable performances, peaking at 9th place in 2019 under manager . Subsequent seasons were marked by struggles, including a 15th-place finish in 2021 that led to relegation via playoffs against Chengdu Rongcheng, followed by a swift return to the CSL for 2022. In 2023, they again ended 15th with 20 points, narrowly escaping demotion on the final day before the club's dissolution precluded further participation. Across their nine CSL campaigns from 2012 to 2023, Dalian Professional amassed a record of 66 wins, 70 draws, and 104 losses in 240 matches, reflecting chronic defensive vulnerabilities and inconsistent attacking output amid frequent managerial changes and financial constraints. The team's goal tally totaled approximately 200 scored against 250 conceded, yielding a negative that underscored their relegation battles. Home form proved marginally stronger, with notable reliance on Dalian derbies against rivals like Dalian Shide (prior to its dissolution) for morale boosts, though away records remained poor, particularly post-2020. Key seasonal statistics in the CSL are summarized below:
SeasonPositionMatches PlayedWinsDrawsLossesGoals ForGoals AgainstPoints
20125th3011118514644
201811th3010515414835
20199th3010812465338
2020*8th21768313527
202115th308220396726
202211th301299494545
202315th3031116255120
*2020 season featured a condensed format due to , with teams playing 21 league matches across regular and split stages. Positions for 2013 (10th, 37 points) and 2014 (15th, 24 points) reflect mid-to-lower table finishes without detailed per-season breakdowns in aggregated records. Attendance averaged 20,000–25,000 per home match in peak years like 2019, bolstered by star signings such as and , but declined amid ownership instability.

Personnel

Managerial Timeline

The managerial history of Dalian Professional F.C., from its founding in through its dissolution in January 2024, featured frequent changes, often reflecting performance struggles and shifts, with a mix of domestic and international coaches.
TenureManagerNationality
12 June 2010 – 31 Dec 2010Aleksandar StankovBulgarian
1 Jan 2012 – 3 Apr 2012Chang Woe-ryongSouth Korean
4 Apr 2012 – 9 Nov 2012Serbian
19 Feb 2013 – 2 Jun 2013Li MingChinese
8 Jun 2013 – 31 Dec 2013Simo KrunićBosnian
1 Jan 2014 – 28 May 2014Ma LinChinese
30 May 2014 – 31 Dec 2014Yasuharu KurataJapanese
1 Jan 2015 – 5 Jul 2016Swedish
5 Jul 2016 – 29 Aug 2016Serbian
30 Aug 2016 – 28 Nov 2016Sergio Piernas CárdenasSpanish
29 Nov 2016 – 25 Dec 2017Juan Ramón López CaroSpanish
1 Jan 2018 – 17 Mar 2018Ma LinChinese
21 Mar 2018 – 10 Feb 2019German
11 Feb 2019 – 1 Jul 2019Choi Kang-heeSouth Korean
2 Jul 2019 – 23 Jan 2021Spanish
1 Jan 2021 – 31 Jan 2022José GonzálezSpanish
7 Apr 2021 – 31 Jan 2022Manuel González (Cortijo)Spanish
19 Mar 2022 – 31 Dec 2023Xie HuiChinese
Notable periods include Rafael Benítez's tenure from mid-2019 to early 2021, during which the club competed in the with high-profile signings but ended without major trophies. The final manager, Xie Hui, oversaw the club's last competitive season in 2023 before financial collapse led to dissolution.

Notable Players and Internationals

Dalian Professional F.C. produced and hosted several players who earned caps for the . Right-back Zhu Ting, who joined the club in February 2015 from Zall, became a regular starter and represented with 17 international appearances and 1 goal between 2009 and 2017, primarily during his Dalian tenure. Midfielder Sun Bo featured prominently from 2012 onward, accumulating over 200 appearances for the club while earning 4 caps for between 2012 and 2013. The club also signed numerous foreign players, particularly during its stint from 2012 to 2020, leveraging high transfer fees amid China's football investment boom. Notable imports included Belgian winger , acquired from in January 2018 for €22 million, who contributed 9 goals and 12 assists in 47 league matches before returning to in 2020. Argentine playmaker joined alongside Carrasco in 2018, making 17 appearances despite injury issues. Other prominent foreigners were Slovak midfielder (2019–2020, 18 appearances from Napoli), Venezuelan striker (2019–2021, 40 goals in 60 matches from Newcastle United), and Portuguese defender (2018, 14 appearances from ). These signings, managed by from 2018 to 2020, highlighted the club's ambition but often underperformed amid financial strains, with many departing amid unpaid wages.

Financial Challenges and Controversies

Origins of Debt Accumulation

The origins of Dalian Professional F.C.'s debt accumulation trace back to November 2012, when its predecessor, Dalian Aerbin F.C., owned by the Aerbin Group, acquired the rival for 320 million yuan (approximately $51 million at the time). This transaction absorbed Shide's substantial existing liabilities, stemming from years of operational mismanagement and the 2012 arrest of Shide's chairman, Xu Ming, on and charges, which disrupted funding and left unpaid obligations to players, staff, and creditors. Post-merger, the club—rebranded successively as Dalian Yifang in 2016 and Dalian Professional in 2020—entered the Chinese Super League's high-investment phase from roughly 2011 to 2018, characterized by aggressive recruitment of international talent and inflated player contracts to boost competitiveness. Examples included high-profile signings like on a lucrative deal with significant wages, contributing to escalating costs that outpaced matchday and broadcast revenues, which remained limited in China's . These expenditures reflected a broader league pattern of owner-subsidized spending without robust commercial foundations, leading to accumulated obligations as sponsorship inflows proved volatile. The debt burden intensified after 2018, when regulations imposed salary caps (initially at 6 million yuan per player, later tightened) and restricted foreign player rosters to three plus one Asian slot, curbing the club's ability to monetize star power while legacy contracts from the prior era persisted. Reliance on parent company infusions, such as from early investor Sunseap Group, waned amid broader economic pressures on real estate-linked backers, transforming initial acquisition debts into a compounding crisis marked by unpaid salaries and supplier claims.

Effects of Regulatory Policies and Market Dynamics

The Chinese Football Association's (CFA) implementation of salary and spending caps in December 2020 profoundly affected Professional F.C., as these regulations limited annual club expenditures to 600 million yuan while capping domestic player salaries at 5 million yuan and foreign player earnings at approximately 3 million euros per individual. Intended to address the league's financial excesses from the mid-2010s, when clubs routinely signed high-profile talents on multimillion-euro deals, the caps hindered Professional's capacity to offset legacy contracts—such as Marek Hamšík's transfer, which exceeded 20 million euros in fees and salary commitments—through new revenue streams like player transfers or sponsorships tied to star power. By restricting financial flexibility, these policies amplified the club's debt burden, leading to a FIFA-imposed transfer ban in May 2022 for unresolved salary arrears and preventing squad reinforcements during relegation battles. Market dynamics in Chinese football from to exacerbated these regulatory pressures, as investor pullbacks aligned with broader economic controls, including scrutiny on conglomerates that had previously subsidized clubs like Dalian Professional. Declining sponsorship revenues and low attendance—stemming from the post-boom disillusionment and the disruptions—further eroded the club's viability, with owner funding drying up amid China's "" initiatives that prioritized fiscal restraint over sports extravagance. For Dalian Professional, relegated from the in 2023 after accumulating arrears that violated CFA licensing criteria, this rendered operational continuity impossible, culminating in dissolution on January 17, 2024, without resolution of debts estimated in the hundreds of millions of yuan.

Dissolution Proceedings and Aftermath

On January 17, 2024, Dalian Professional F.C. announced its immediate dissolution, citing unresolved historical debts that prevented the club from obtaining a license from the for participation in the 2024 season. The club, which had been relegated from the at the end of the 2023 season, stated that despite efforts by multiple parties, the debt burden—stemming from high-value contracts signed during earlier periods of league spending—could not be cleared, rendering normal operations impossible. No formal or proceedings were initiated under , as confirmed in subsequent documentation, distinguishing the case from judicial insolvency processes. The aftermath involved significant fallout for players, staff, and the local football ecosystem. Outstanding wages and other obligations remained unpaid, leading to FIFA-imposed restrictions on affected individuals, including potential training bans and barriers to free transfers, as the enforces accountability for such regardless of club dissolution. Some former Dalian Professional personnel joined lower-tier clubs like Dalian Yingbo F.C., a separate entity founded in 2021 with no direct legal succession to the dissolved club, though FIFA rulings clarified that unresolved wage claims from Dalian Professional could not be waived in these moves. Fans expressed profound disappointment over the loss of a club with deep roots in 's football history, amid a broader pattern of Chinese professional teams folding due to similar issues exacerbated by regulatory scrutiny and economic pressures on parent companies like . The dissolution underscored vulnerabilities in China's football infrastructure, with no immediate successor club emerging to inherit assets or league status, though city initiatives continued to promote youth development and professional soccer revival.

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