Chinese Football’s Latest Bizarre Story: A Player Earns Zero Salary—and Just 1,000 Yuan All Year, Yet the Club Still Passes Licensing

Recently, the Chinese Professional Football League (CFL) released the first batch of clubs that reportedly met admission requirements, including debt clearance. Soon after, however, reports emerged that several players had filed complaints—claiming that some clubs on the approved list still face serious financial issues.

On December 24, Zhang Bing, a well-known Chinese sports rights lawyer, alleged on social media that Xiamen 1026 FC not only signed players to contracts stating a “zero salary,” but also misled them into signing salary payment documents. If these claims are accurate, the incident could become one of the biggest embarrassments in Chinese football at year’s end.

Zhang stated that the CFL should investigate Xiamen 1026, arguing that it is outrageous for a club to set a player’s contract wage at zero and then reportedly pay only a single subsidy over an entire year—just slightly more than 1,026 yuan. He further alleged that, with admission review approaching, an individual in club management covertly pressured or deceived players into signing paperwork to create the appearance of compliance. Zhang added that if the league conducts a serious review, there should be qualified replacement clubs that genuinely do not owe wages.

If Xiamen 1026 did sign “zero-salary” contracts as claimed, the issue goes beyond being merely absurd—it may also involve serious legal risk. While China’s football authorities have not clearly established a minimum wage standard for players across all league levels, basic legal principles generally hold that labor should be compensated. In that sense, a “zero salary” agreement would be highly questionable if it is used to avoid paying players for real work. Should players formally lodge complaints, the club could face significant consequences.

As for the claims that only a 1,026-yuan-level subsidy was paid in a year—and that signatures were obtained to pass admission—many observers note that controversies like this are not entirely new in Chinese football. Instead, they reflect the harsh reality and fragile livelihoods often faced by players in lower-tier leagues.

Founded in 2019, Xiamen 1026 won the China Champions League (Zhongguan) title this season, securing qualification for next year’s China League Two (League B). In the CFL’s first published list of clubs said to have completed admission and debt clearance requirements, Xiamen 1026 was included.