The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced that Shandong Taishan FC has been banned from participating in AFC competitions for two seasons and fined $50,000 due to their withdrawal from last season’s AFC Champions League Elite. The club is also required to refund the $600,000 participation fee and $200,000 performance bonus received for the 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite.
The detailed sanctions are as follows:
Shandong Taishan FC (China) is fined $50,000, which must be paid to the AFC within thirty (30) days of receiving this decision.
Shandong Taishan FC (China) is disqualified from participating in all AFC club competitions for the next two years (i.e., up to and including the 2026/27 season).
Shandong Taishan FC (China) must refund the $600,000 participation fee and $200,000 performance bonus received for the 2024/25 AFC Champions League Elite to the AFC within thirty (30) days of receiving this decision.
Shandong Taishan FC (China) is ordered to pay $40,000 in compensation to Ulsan HD FC (South Korea) to cover the damages claimed by the club. This compensation must be paid to the AFC within thirty (30) days of receiving this decision.
The AFC’s penalty stems from Shandong Taishan’s unapproved withdrawal from last season’s AFC Champions League Elite, which disrupted the tournament’s integrity. The club’s disqualification from future AFC competitions underscores the AFC’s strict stance on adhering to competition regulations.
