Shandong Taishan, a club from China, has been handed a two-year ban from all Asian Football Confederation (AFC) competitions following their controversial withdrawal from the AFC Champions League Elite earlier this year.
The AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Committee met on July 30 and found Shandong guilty of breaching Article 5 of the competition’s regulations, which prohibits mid-tournament withdrawals. The charge stemmed not merely from failing to appear for their scheduled match against Ulsan HD on February 19, but from the fact that their no-show occurred after the competition had already commenced, qualifying as an official withdrawal under AFC rules.
As a result, Shandong Taishan has been:
- Banned from AFC tournaments until at least the 2027–28 season
- Fined US$50,000
- Ordered to repay US$800,000 in participation fees and performance bonuses to the AFC
- Required to compensate Ulsan HD with US$40,000 for losses resulting from the late cancellation
Just hours before kickoff, Shandong cited “serious physical discomfort of team members” and claimed their medical staff had determined they were unable to field a team. The club released a brief statement via Weibo, but the explanation left AFC officials and fans across Asia puzzled, especially since Shandong only needed a draw to progress to the Round of 16.
The AFC swiftly ruled the club as having withdrawn, which had widespread ramifications on the tournament’s integrity. With only eight group-stage matches per team, Shandong’s expunged results meant that seven teams who had played or were set to face them only recorded seven games, while three others — Shanghai Port, Shanghai Shenhua, and Buriram United — completed all eight.
Notably, the top five East Region clubs finished with only seven matches but were not affected by Shandong’s removal. In contrast, Pohang Steelers, who finished ninth, had reason to feel aggrieved. They missed qualification by just two points, which they would have made up if their 4–2 win over Shandong had remained valid.
Shandong’s abrupt no-show also sparked a wave of conspiracy theories online. One claim suggested that local protesters had surrounded the team hotel in South Korea, possibly creating unsafe conditions. Another allegation involved a political backlash stemming from Shandong’s previous game against Gwangju FC, during which fans allegedly displayed sensitive political images, including those of Kim Jong-Un and later-revealed former South Korean President Chun Doo-Hwan, a figure associated with the 1980 Gwangju Massacre.
Though no official political motive has been confirmed, these reports suggest underlying tensions between fan groups and local sentiments that may have indirectly contributed to the club’s decision to withdraw.
Shandong’s suspension will have no immediate impact domestically, as the club did not qualify for any AFC competitions this season following a fifth-place finish in the CSL.
For now, Shanghai Port and Shanghai Shenhua will represent China in the ACL Elite, while Chengdu Rongcheng seeks qualification through the playoffs. Beijing Guoan, meanwhile, will participate in the newly introduced AFC Champions League Two.
Credit Photo : AFC
