Professional football arrived in China with the formation of the Chinese Professional Football League in 1994 and the Chinese Super League - as it was rebranded in 2004 - is a direct descendant of the original.

The revamping of professional football in China brought with it a greater insistence from the authorities on professionalism and grassroots development while the league itself has been increasing in size ever since.

The CSL started with just 12 teams back in 2004 but since then has expanded rapidly and currently boasts 16 club sides from across the vast expanse of the Chinese nation. The league is played on a regular home-and-away round-robin basis.

After being dominated in its pre-CSL days by Dalian Shide - who won the title in their various guises in seven out of 10 seasons - Shandong Luneng are the current powerhouse of Chinese football, having won two of the last three league titles.

But the league has not been without its scandals, with the Chinese authorities regularly criticized for mismanaging the league while clubs are rarely among the most secure entities in the world of Asian football.

Several clubs have either merged, ceased to operate or moved from one side of the country to the other as China continues to try to get to grips with providing an environment in which the game can thrive and, ultimately, from which the Chinese national team can benefit.