Dalian Yingbo Win 2026 CSL Title on Head-to-Head Tiebreaker

Dalian Yingbo clinched the 2026 Chinese Super League championship on Sunday, the final matchday of the season, according to 中国新闻网. The club beat Tianjin Jinmen Tiger 3-1 at home in Dalian while title rival Chengdu Rongcheng lost 3-2 away to Shandong Taishan.

Both sides finished the 30-round campaign level on 52 points. Under the league's ranking rules, teams tied on points are separated first by their head-to-head record, and that comparison favored Dalian Yingbo, 中国新闻网 reported.

In Dalian, Tianjin's Hadassah converted a penalty early in the second half to level the score and briefly tighten the title race. Stanciu delivered a corner in the 70th minute and Liao Jintao struck from around the penalty spot to restore Dalian's lead at 2-1. A fast counterattack in stoppage time produced a third goal and sealed the 3-1 result.

The outcome caps a remarkable turnaround. At round 16, Dalian Yingbo trailed then-leader Chengdu Rongcheng by as many as 18 points, 中国新闻网 reported, before overtaking them on the last day. Chengdu's defeat to Shandong Taishan was their fourth consecutive loss, 中国日报网 reported.

The title is Dalian's first in China's top flight in 21 years, since 2005, according to 中国新闻网. Coach Li Guoxu credited supporters for the win, saying the championship was shouted on by the fans and belonged to everyone together, 懂球帝 reported.

Attention now turns to how Dalian Yingbo build on the title and whether Chengdu Rongcheng can regroup after a late-season collapse.