The promotion and relegation rules for the third-tier professional soccer league are as follows:
The two teams that finish last in the 2023 season of the Chinese Super League are relegated to the next season's Chinese First Division.
The 2023 season of the Chinese Super League will continue to be a "five-on-four" season for foreign players, with a maximum of one (1) player from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan allowed to be registered as a Chinese player. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan players, a maximum of 1 non-Chinese naturalized players are allowed to register as Chinese players, Chinese naturalized players are allowed to register as Chinese players.
Accumulation of 4 yellow cards during the season is suspended for 1 match. At all levels of professional leagues, if a natural person enrolls in two identities in the same season, the person's cumulative yellow card suspension is enforced strictly.
The two teams with the best results in the 2023 season will be promoted to the next season's Chinese Super League, and the two teams with the last results will be relegated to the next season's Chinese B. In the 2023 season of the Chinese A League, the foreign players will be "3 on 2", at least one U21 player will always be present, and the teams will be able to register at most one Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan player, and will not be permitted to register a non-Chinese national. Non-Chinese naturalized players are not allowed to register as Chinese players, while Chinese naturalized players can register as Chinese players. Suspension of 1 match for accumulation of 4 yellow cards during the season.
In the 2023 season of the Chinese B League, 16 teams will play home and away matches, 16 teams will be divided into two halves, and 8 teams will play double round-robin home and away matches in each half, and the top four teams in each district will enter the "first division", and the bottom four will enter the "relegation division", "first division", and "relegation division".
The first four teams in each region will be in the "first division" and the last four in the "relegation division", and the teams in the "first division" and the "relegation division" that have not played a game will play a double round-robin home and away game.
From April 29 to Oct. 22, 176 matches will be played in 22 rounds. The two teams with the best results in the "first division" will enter the first division next season, while the two teams with the last results in the "relegation division" will be relegated to the second division next season.
Foreign players are not allowed to register for the 2023 season of the China B League, at least one U21 player is required to be present at all times, no Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan players are allowed to register, and no naturalized players are allowed to register. The season is suspended for 1 game for accumulating 3 yellow cards.
Background of the rule release:
In the morning of April 10, 2023, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) and the Preparatory Group of the Chinese Professional Football Federation (CPFF) held a pre-match working meeting for the 2023 Chinese Professional Football League (CPFL) at the National Football Training Base in Xianghe, which introduced the working arrangements for the 2023 Chinese Super League (CSL), Chinese First Division (CFA) and Chinese Second Division (CSB) leagues and made a detailed report on the 2023 Chinese Professional Football League (CPFL). The meeting introduced the working arrangement of the 2023 Chinese Super League, Chinese First League and Chinese Second League, and preached on the issues of match style and discipline of the 2023 season, unified scale of referee's judgment and punishment, and anti-doping.
The meeting explained the work of the professional league competition, business, broadcasting, news operation and branding for the 2023 season. At the same time, it also put forward the requirements for the organization of the tournament, emphasized the safety of the tournament and medical support, especially on the first aid physician and ambulance setup, AED equipment setup and other clear provisions and requirements.
The meeting explained the unified scale of refereeing penalties for the 2023 season, focusing on the spirit of the latest FIFA penalties. It also explained the work of the professional league's style of play and discipline in the 2023 season, the main points of the disciplinary code and the anti-doping work.
Reference: State General Administration of Sports - Chinese Super League and Chinese League A new season to implement the "promotion 2 down 2"