Preview of the 11th Week of Guangdong Super League: Regular Season Conclusion, All Mysteries Revealed

Written by Han Bing. On August 1st, the 11th week of the Guangdong Super League season, which is also the final round of the regular season, kicks off simultaneously. The remaining suspense will be revealed, including the West Division champion and the direct qualification spots. Additionally, the regular season top scorer and top assist provider will be determined.

Heyuan, Huizhou, and Shantou are all tied on 9 points, with Heyuan ranked eighth behind Huizhou, trailing the sixth-placed Jieyang by 1 point. To secure a playoff spot, they must defeat Dongguan, who are currently fifth and have already secured a playoff berth, at home. Fortunately, Huizhou and Jieyang are both playing away this round, while Shantou hosts Meizhou, who have already locked in second place. If Heyuan, coached by female manager Zhao Xindi, can win, their chances of making the playoffs are quite high.

Dongguan has had a two-week break. Playing away in this match, they will secure a playoff spot with just one point. However, if they defeat Heyuan, they have a chance to overtake Shanwei, who are one point ahead, and claim fourth place in the East Division. This would allow them to face the fifth-placed team from the West Division in the playoff play-offs, reducing the difficulty of advancing to the top eight. Dongguan cannot afford to lose this match, as they would at least be overtaken by Heyuan and risk elimination.

Shaoguan trails the sixth-placed Jieyang by 10 points and has already been eliminated from playoff contention. Jieyang, however, lost 0-1 to Shanwei in the previous round and failed to secure a playoff spot early. They must win away in this round to stabilize their position. However, Jieyang's attack is weak; in nine games they have scored only seven goals, tied for the third fewest in the East Division, just one more than the joint bottom teams Heyuan and Shaoguan. Shaoguan, having conceded only 10 goals in the first nine rounds, has a relatively resilient defense. For Jieyang to take all three points away is no easy task.

Shaoguan's final home game of the regular season continues to promote the "ticket stub economy." Spectators will have the chance to win traditional big prizes such as 1 ton of Sinopec gasoline and 1 ton of Xinfeng Simiao fragrant rice through a lucky draw. There is also the "One Ticket to Tour Shaoguan" activity, aiming to attract more audiences to experience the "great gifts, delicious food, and fun" features of the last home game of the Guangdong Super League.

Meizhou has already secured second place in the East Division, so this match holds no particular competitive significance for them. However, players on the scoring chart—Wu Qihao and Wang Xinzeng (4 goals each)—and on the assist chart—Liao Binduo (5 assists)—are all fighting for individual honors, providing Meizhou with motivation to win on the road.

Shantou lost 1-2 away to Huizhou in the previous round, causing their playoff hopes to plummet. They are currently only in ninth place in the East Division. Even if they defeat Meizhou at home, they will still need to rely on the results of the three teams ahead of them—Jieyang, Huizhou, and Heyuan. Statistically, the likelihood of Shantou overtaking three teams to make a comeback and secure a playoff spot is very slim. But that's football—"only by striving can you win," and miracles can always happen.

It should be noted that Shantou's head coach Yang Pengfeng has left the team, and the team is currently being led by the coaching staff.

Qingyuan has secured third place in the East Division in advance, just like Shanwei, who have also locked in a playoff spot. In this round, Shanwei will be fighting for fourth place at home. Although Qingyuan has nothing at stake, their individual players have aspirations on the scoring and assist charts, hoping to improve their rankings.

The "Bay Hides Mountains and Seas, Lucky to Meet Shanwei" 2026 Shanwei Cultural Tourism Carnival will reach its first climax this weekend. Besides cheering for the teams, fans can enjoy intangible cultural heritage such as Lufeng shadow puppetry, Lei tea making, and Qiaopi (overseas Chinese remittance letters), as well as the delicacies of "the world's finest seafood, Shanwei leads the freshness." In addition to the Shanwei Good Products Market Carnival near the stadium, there will be the 2026 Shanwei "Millions of Talents Gather in South Guangdong" on-site recruitment series activities to attract talents from all walks of life.

Like Meizhou and Qingyuan, Shenzhen, who have secured first place in the East Division, have no competitive needs. However, they do not want to see their unbeaten record broken. Additionally, Shenzhen players are vying for the regular season top scorer and top assist provider. Huang Junxiong (5 goals), Chen Zhixuan, and Fan Jialin (4 goals) are all competing for the top scorer title, while Guo Yulin (6 assists) on the assist chart aims to retain his top assist provider crown.

In contrast, for Huizhou to secure a playoff spot, they must not only defeat Shenzhen away but also depend on the result of Jieyang's away game against Shaoguan. Among the three teams tied on 9 points, Huizhou has the advantage, with Jieyang, one point ahead, being their biggest rival. However, considering Shenzhen wants to finish the season unbeaten, Huizhou's task is very difficult.

For their last home game of the regular season, Shenzhen has also prepared a "Guangming" farewell. In addition to a carefully choreographed pre-match performance, fans can enjoy a one-day tour of the Guangming area with their tickets. They can visit the Guangming Cultural and Arts Center, watch intangible cultural heritage displays and performances at the Guangming District Cultural Center, and taste the herbal chicken pot, Cantonese roast goose, and pigeon from the Guangming Guesthouse. They can also take home Gongming sausage and Chenguang milk gift boxes.

The most anticipated "Battle of the Titans" of the Guangdong Super League finale: Zhanjiang and Guangzhou are both tied on 17 points, with Zhanjiang holding the top spot in the West Division by a single goal difference, while Guangzhou is second. Both teams have already effectively secured direct playoff spots, so this match is only about the West Division regular season championship. Zhanjiang drew 0-0 with Shantou, who are 3 points behind, in the regular season. Even if they lose this match, they can still advance directly to the top eight of the playoffs thanks to a massive 10-goal advantage. Zhanjiang has had four consecutive home sell-outs, with single-game attendance ranking among the top four in the Guangdong Super League. This West Division regular season championship match is sure to set a new record for single-game attendance.

Guangzhou secured a direct spot in the top eight of the playoffs with a resounding 6-2 home victory over Foshan in the previous round. In this match, Guangzhou is only fighting for the regular season championship. Their advantage is that they can field almost all of their main players. However, Zhanjiang's top scorer of the Guangdong Super League, Li Guo, is suspended due to accumulating three yellow cards, which is a major blow to Zhanjiang's attacking strength. Li Guo had 6 goals and 3 assists in the first eight games, contributing to half of Zhanjiang's goals. This is good news for Guangzhou, whose offense has just gained momentum.

In their last home game of the regular season, Zhanjiang not only aims to break the attendance record but also has prepared a wealth of cultural tourism activities for enthusiastic spectators. The domestic temple-level original drama masterpiece "Broken Gold," starring veteran actors Zhang Guoli, Wang Gang, and Zhang Tielin together, will be performed at the Zhanjiang Cultural Center Grand Theater this weekend. Additionally, fans can take the newly launched circular water bus around Zhanjiang Bay (started in July) to visit Techeng Island, the Military Expo Park, and the Water Sports Center. Fans can also join the "Blue Sea Ambition, Hand in Hand" themed study activity with Zhanjiang team members, watch the live-action performance "Sea Dragon," visit decommissioned warships, and receive national defense education.

One of the key playoff positioning battles in the West Division: Zhaoqing, with 13 points, has already secured a playoff spot. Maoming, with 11 points, is only 2 points ahead of seventh-placed Zhongshan. If Maoming loses this match at home, and Yangjiang and Zhongshan behind them win, Maoming will lose their playoff spot at the last moment. Even if they draw, if Zhongshan wins, the two teams will be level on points, and Maoming, who has an inferior head-to-head record, will still be behind Zhongshan. Maoming is highly motivated for this away match and must take all three points to ensure safety.

If Zhaoqing loses at home, they will not only lose fourth place in the West Division; if Yangjiang wins and the two teams are level on points, Zhaoqing will drop to sixth due to their head-to-head disadvantage, and in the playoff play-offs, they would face Qingyuan, the third-placed team in the East Division. Clearly, Zhaoqing does not want to lose their favorable positioning in the playoff play-offs. Zhaoqing's Chen Zhijie, with 4 goals and 3 assists, is a key weapon for a home victory; Maoming's Shen Weiyou, who has scored 3 goals, is the hope for an away win.

In their last home game of the regular season, Zhaoqing is collaborating with the summer blockbuster movie "Kung Fu Women's Football." Spectators can enjoy discounts at multiple food outlets and hotels by showing a screenshot of their match e-ticket or a ticket stub from "Kung Fu Women's Football."

Yangjiang secured a crucial 1-0 away victory over Jiangmen in the previous round, earning three points and taking control of their playoff fate. They have 10 points and rank sixth in the West Division, one point ahead of Zhongshan. In this match, Yangjiang hosts Yunfu, who have only 6 points and have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Yangjiang aims to take all three points at home, completely ending the suspense over the last playoff spot in the West Division. Yangjiang is strong in defense but weak in attack: they have conceded only 6 goals in the first eight games, second only to Guangzhou (5 goals) and tied with Zhanjiang for the second fewest in the West Division. At the same time, Yangjiang has scored only 5 goals, tied with Yunfu for the second fewest in the West Division.

In their last home game of the regular season, Yangjiang will go all out for victory. Fans and spectators can also enjoy the "Fun in Yangjiang" and "Summer Wave" Maritime Silk Road style tour. They can visit the Maritime Silk Road Museum, the Zhapo Fisherman's Culture Exhibition Hall, experience the historical depth of the film "The Lychee of Chang'an" at the ancient lychee forest and Shuangshu Village, and also taste the most authentic seafood cuisine in Yangjiang.

Zhongshan has 9 points and ranks seventh in the West Division, one point behind sixth-placed Yangjiang. Meanwhile, third-placed Foshan has already secured a playoff spot and still has a faint hope of fighting for the second direct qualification spot in the West Division. However, both teams require multiple conditions to be met to achieve their goals, which is quite difficult. Zhongshan has scored only 7 goals in the first eight rounds, with their attack in the lower half of the Guangdong Super League, and they have conceded 11 goals, tied for the third most in the league. In contrast, Foshan has shown more stable offensive and defensive performances.

Zhongshan coincides with the "Shenzhen-Zhongshan New Corridor, Xiangshan New Experience" Zhongshan Consumption Month activity. In this last home game of the regular season, Zhongshan aims to let fans and tourists fully enjoy the city's beautiful landscapes, the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, the cultural tourism area centered on the former residence of Sun Yat-sen, and the Qijiang River food street along both sides. Through the Guangdong Super League, they welcome guests from all over the world.

The only match in the Guangdong Super League finale that is completely unrelated to playoff spots has just one suspense: whether Zhuhai can achieve their first win at home. They are currently the only team in the Guangdong Super League without a victory. Their opponent, Jiangmen, was eliminated from playoff contention early in the previous round and may offer a "gift."