2 clubs quit Hong Kong Premier League, as local football plunges into crisis

After the failed three-year experiment of fielding a HKU23 team to boost numbers was aborted at the end of the 2023-24 season, the top flight has lost roughly a quarter of its 11 members.

A spokeswoman for Kowloon City, the First Division champions, said the club “have no information at this moment” over whether they will play in next season’s Premier League. The Post has been told, however, that Kowloon City would accept an invite for promotion.

A nine-team league would raise questions over the structure of the competition. The Asian Football Confederation stipulates member association leagues must stage an eight-month campaign, featuring 27 matches per club across the league and domestic cup.

Only eight clubs took part in the 2020-21 and curtailed 2021-22 seasons. In 2020-21, the teams played each other home and away, before the league was split into championship and relegation groups for a closing round of fixtures.

The latest developments will intensify fears over the sustainability of a professional league in Hong Kong, and officials did little to assuage concerns on Saturday.

A spokesman for the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) said the organisation “don’t have any official response” to developments over the past 24 hours.

Football in the city was rocked by another corruption scandal last month. Twelve players and coaches were arrested on charges of manipulating performances and results, to profit from bets placed with illegal bookmakers. Matches in the 2023-24 season are believed to have been rigged.

At least three of the men arrested belong to a Premier League team, believed to be North District.

Mark Sutcliffe, the former HKFA chief executive, told the Post match-fixing “seems endemic”, and acknowledged the stench of corruption provided a huge barrier to growing and promoting the local game during his six years in post from September 2012.

It is unclear who will take charge of clearing up the current Premier League mess, with the governing body searching for a new CEO, after sacking previous incumbent Joaquin Tam last month.

Tam was the signatory on a letter, dated April 29, telling clubs of a May 31 deadline, and HK$50,000 cost, for entry into next season’s Premier League.

The league’s 10th anniversary campaign, in 2023-24, was plagued by problems from the outset. The FA blamed the resignations of a host of staff for delaying their fixtures announcement until two weeks before the opening match, while the introduction of VAR was a mess, given it was not used in every match.

“It gives the perception it is not a level playing field,” Mark Palios, the former English FA CEO, told the Post.

Attendances have continued to nosedive, too, with an average of 576 people watching Premier League matches. Only Kitchee (1,147) averaged four-figure attendances.

The figure for Sham Shui Po was 629. Resources Capital attracted an average of 350 fans, while an average of 250 watched HKU23.

Sham Shui Po spent two seasons in the top-flight. They significantly improved in the second half of 2023-24, and beat champions Lee Man in an FA Cup semi-final, before losing a thrilling final to Eastern.

Chun Kay-ko, the club’s director of football, told the Post he was too unwell to talk, but added that Sham Shui Po “tried our best” to remain in the Premier League.

A club spokesman said: “Owing to the last minute withdrawal of two commercial sponsors, we are disappointed to announce our exit from the HKPL … and return to the First Division.”

The Resources Capital head coach, Ho Sun-yin, posted on social media to confirm the club’s decision to withdraw.

“After four years, [RCFC] finally decided to temporarily leave the stage of professional football,” he said. “I hope all fans, players and staff understand the club’s intentions.”

There had been concerns over HKFC’s Premier League future, but club members recently voted to continue in the top division.