Tianjin Huisen Women’s Football Club announced through its Weibo account on Dec 23 that the club's senior team would quit the top professional women’s football league, the China Women's Super League, as a result of their new “strategic adjustments”. The team was one of the 8 women's football teams competing in China Women's Super League.
As the club explained in its official statement, it is facing an increasingly difficult financial situation and could not meet requirements to play in the 2018 China Women’s Super League. As the document explained, they only needed a few million RMB to operate before 2015, but the operation fees increased significantly after 2015; they would probably need 25m yuan to 30m yuan to run the club in 2018 and could not afford it.
People.cn reported that the investor behind the team, Huisen, a private company, could not support the club on its own any more.
Additionally, Huisen may not be able to compete in the 2021 National Games’ women’s football tournament due to the ages of current squad members.
To carry itself through this trouble, the club plans to partner with Changchun Huaxin Women’s Football Club, rather than disband Tianjin Huisen. The partnership will see the two sides jointly set up a new women’s team, representing Tianjin, to book its spot in the women’s football event at the 2021 National Games.
A youth training program is also one of the priorities of Tianjin Huisen for the future. To prepare for the 2021 National Games, Tianjin Huisen will set up a women’s football team bringing together young female players born between 2003 and 2004. Additionally, Tianjin Huisen will also set up a support group for those players retiring from the first-team at the club to help them find a new career.
Founded in 1999, Tianjin Huisen Women’s Football Club is a top-flight football club in China. During its 18-year career, it won the 2012 CWSL title and women’s football gold at the 2009 and 2013 National Games. At the 2017 National Games held in Tianjin, the club were runners up in the women’s football event.
Source: Dongqiudi
Proofread by Raymond Fitzpatrick