Dalian Yingbo claimed the 2026 Chinese Super League championship on Sunday, the final matchday of the season, after a 3-1 home win over Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, China News Service reported from Dalian.
Chengdu Rongcheng, the leaders for much of the campaign, lost 3-2 away to Shandong Taishan. Both clubs ended the 30-round season on 52 points, and the league's tiebreaker — head-to-head results — put Dalian ahead, according to the report.
The title was not settled until late in Dalian. Tianjin equalized from the penalty spot through Hadas in the second half, tightening the race. In the 70th minute, Stanciu delivered a corner and Liao Jintao struck from around the penalty spot to restore the lead at 2-1. Dalian added a third in stoppage time on a fast counterattack.
The outcome caps an unusually large swing. According to China News Service, Dalian trailed Chengdu by as many as 18 points at one stage — in round 16 of the season — before overtaking them on the last day.
It is also a landmark for the city. The report notes that Dalian football had not held a Chinese top-flight league title since 2005, a gap of 21 years.
Attention now turns to how Dalian Yingbo build on the win and whether Chengdu Rongcheng, beaten to the trophy on a tiebreaker, respond in the next transfer window.