Widespread corruption together with financial instability inside the country's football infrastructure has created major obstacles against China's goal of becoming a global football power. Late March 2024 brought a life sentence for Chen Xuyuan the longtime CFA president after proven bribery crimes worth more than 81 million yuan equaling $11.2 million dollars. The current anti-corruption campaign has revealed widespread corruption among football officials as well as players which shaped this prominent criminal sentence.​
During December 2024 Li Tie took a 20-year prison sentence because of his involvement in both bribery and match-fixing activities. The Chinese Football Association subsequently managed match-fixing investigations by issuing permanent bans to 43 individuals consisting of both officials and players. The severe acts of corruption have damaged Chinese football's reputation while also blocking progress in its development path.​
A state of continuous financial crisis began overwhelming the Chinese Super League (CSL). To increase its profile the CSL began attracting famous international players by offering large contracts during its early phase. The high-expense strategy produced insolvent conditions that resulted in the downfall of champions Jiangsu FC as well as other CSL teams. These financial difficulties intensified because of the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the real estate sector crisis since numerous clubs had real estate ownership.​
The CFA has reacted by carrying out structural changes that aim at fostering sustainable growth alongside domestic talent development. The league has adopted a new strategic development by selecting coaches with proven experiences like Quique Setién. The men's national team remains in a challenging position according to FIFA's ranking of 87 which shows how difficult it is to become competitive internationally.​
The aspirational goal of China becoming a football superpower has faded because of systemic corruption together with unstable financial conditions. The recent reform initiatives target corruption issues but global stage success and systemic reform in football need ongoing dedication and fundamental structural changes to be achieved.​