Written by Han Bing With Chengdu Rongcheng officially announcing Xu Zhengyuan’s exit, Choi Kang-hee’s contract ending with Shandong Taishan, and Zhang Wailong stepping down after Chongqing Tonglianglong’s promotion, there are currently no Korean coaches leading any of the 16 CSL teams. The upcoming season still has Beijing Guoan, Chengdu Rongcheng, Zhejiang, and Wuhan Three Towns without confirmed head coaches, but none of them are considering Korean coaches.

This means that the upcoming 2026 season will likely mark the first time in 11 years, since 2015, that the CSL has no Korean coach. Korean coaches, once a significant group among foreign managers in the CSL, will probably be completely absent next season. Since Choi In-cheol began coaching Yanbian Aodong at the end of 1996, Korean coaches have been part of the Chinese top league for nearly 30 years, but now it may return to square one.

The collective retreat of Korean coaches

At the start of the 2025 season, the CSL still had three Korean coaches: Xu Zhengyuan (Chengdu Rongcheng), Choi Kang-hee (Shandong Taishan), and Nam Ki-il (Henan). However, Nam Ki-il was dismissed on April 29, Choi Kang-hee stopped his duties on July 7 due to health reasons, and Zhang Wailong, who took over Chongqing Tonglianglong mid-season and led them to promotion, left on December 12. Zhang’s departure ended his 15-year, seven-time coaching career in Chinese professional leagues since starting with Qingdao Jonoon in 2011.

On December 18, Chengdu Rongcheng announced they would not renew Xu Zhengyuan’s contract. Choi Kang-hee, whose contract with Shandong Taishan also expired at the end of the year, will conclude a seven-year coaching career across four CSL teams. Korean media widely expressed surprise at Xu Zhengyuan’s departure, believing that due to his success at Chengdu Rongcheng, he should have stayed in the CSL. Xu had offers from CSL teams but ultimately left the league. Additionally, Korean media noted that Zhang Wailong, who led Chongqing Tonglianglong to promotion, did not receive a contract renewal from the club.

Among the four CSL teams yet to appoint new head coaches, none prioritize Korean coaches. Wuhan Three Towns prefers European coaches, Zhejiang leans towards domestic coaches, and Beijing Guoan’s new coach, even if foreign, will not be Korean. Chengdu Rongcheng, having let go of Xu Zhengyuan, currently has no clear coaching plans and is unlikely to seek a Korean coach. Recent foreign coach rumors linked to the CSL, such as former Tottenham assistant Montgomery (Australia), Pablo Boyet (Uruguay), and former Guoan coach Suárez (Portugal), are also not Korean.

Given the current trend, the 2026 season will likely be the first in 11 years without a Korean coach in the CSL. In fact, the 2014 season already had no Korean coaches. In 2013, only Zhang Wailong (Qingdao Jonoon) was a Korean coach, but after his dismissal in August, the CSL was without any Korean coach for the rest of the season.

The 2015 season marked the full bloom of the CSL’s “golden era.” Cannavaro replaced Lippi as Guangzhou Evergrande’s coach but was replaced mid-season by Scolari. Eriksson moved from Guangzhou R&F to Shanghai SIPG. Coaches like Trusie (Hangzhou Greentown), Contra (Guangzhou R&F), Gillot (Shenhua), Petrescu (Jiangsu Suning), Stojkovic (Guangzhou R&F), and Tot (Changchun Yatai) arrived one after another, along with Manzano (Guoan), Cuca (Shandong Luneng), Ali Han (Tianjin Teda), and Jasen (Shijiazhuang Yongchang). Korean coaches completely disappeared during this period.

However, in 2016, Korean coaches made a comeback. Zhang Wailong (Chongqing Lifan) and Hong Myung-bo (Hangzhou Greentown) started the season, while Lee Jang-soo (Changchun Yatai) and Choi Yong-soo (Jiangsu Suning) took over mid-season. Korean coaches’ presence in the CSL continued up until this season.

Europe plus domestic coaches more popular

At the start of this season, 11 of the 16 CSL teams had foreign coaches: 7 Europeans, 3 Koreans, and 1 Australian. During the season, 8 teams replaced 9 coaches. By season’s end, among 9 foreign coaches, 7 were European, with Australia and Korea each having 1, and domestic coaches increased from 5 to 7. After the season, among 12 teams with confirmed new coaches, the number of foreign coaches declined further: Jordi (Spain, Yunnan Yukun), Ramos (Portugal, Henan), and Slutsky (Russia, Shanghai Shenhua) are Europeans; Muscat (Australia, Shanghai Port) is Asian. Former Meizhou Hakka Serbian coach Milan is likely to lead Qingdao Hainiu. If confirmed, 5 foreign coaches will include 4 Europeans and 1 Australian. With 4 CSL teams still possibly hiring foreign coaches, the number of foreign coaches is expected to rise next season.

Currently, domestic coaches continue to gain popularity. Seven teams — Dalian Yinfeng (Li Guoxu), Qingdao West Coast (Zheng Zhi), Shandong Taishan (Han Peng), Shenzhen New Pengcheng (Chen Tao), Tianjin Jinmen Tiger (Yu Genwei), and two promoted clubs Liaoning Ironmen (Li Jinyu) and Chongqing Tonglianglong (Liu Jianye) — have chosen domestic coaches.

In contrast, not only is it difficult for Korean coaches to return to the CSL next season, but among those who recently left, only Xu Zhengyuan might find new employment soon. Korean media reported that K1 champions Jeonbuk Hyundai, Ulsan Hyundai, and K2’s Suwon Samsung are interested. Jeonbuk’s top candidate is Jeong Jeong-yong, coach of Gimcheon Sangmu; Ulsan Hyundai, who fired Shin Tae-yong, favors Lee Jung-hyo, who led Gwangju FC to the Korean Cup final this year. Xu Zhengyuan is also a candidate for these two clubs. Suwon Samsung, dormant in K2 for two years, is believed to prefer Xu Zhengyuan, who has a deep history with the club. He played there for six years, winning 12 trophies, and coached for six years from 2013, winning the 2016 Korean Cup. Xu’s “winner’s aura” and familiarity with Suwon Samsung are advantages for his return. However, for the 2026 CSL season, Korean coaches have almost no chance to secure coaching jobs.