Chongqing — The group-stage draw for the Chongqing Football League 2026 was held on August 28 at the Jiangling Teahouse, Liangjiang New Area. The 39 participating teams were allocated into eight groups, with several pools featuring a cluster of heavyweight sides that promise a fiercely competitive group phase. The season opener is set for September 12, with Changshou hosting Wulong.

The group-stage draw for the Chongqing Football League 2026 was held on August 28 at the Jiangling Teahouse, Liangjiang New Area. (Photo/The Organizer)

Ahead of the draw, the teahouse buzzed with anticipation. Banners reading "One Mountain City, 39 Teams; One Pitch, 105 Matches" adorned the walls, alongside the emblems and flags of all competing clubs. Traditional bamboo chairs and covered-bowl tea added a distinctive local touch. Coaches including Zhang Hao of Jiulongpo and Wu Qing of Tongliang mingled and chatted as the ceremony approached, while many team representatives voiced hopes for a favorable draw.

Representatives from 39 teams filled the Jiangling Teahouse.  (Photo/Deng Nan)

Last season's quarterfinalists - Xiushan, Tongliang, Jiangjin, Changshou, Fengdu, Liangjiang, Liangping and Shapingba  – were each represented by players who unveiled specially designed new-season jerseys. Defending champions Liangjiang sported a gold star embroidered above the club badge to signify their title triumph.

The new-season jerseys of all 39 teams were unveiled at the event. (Photo/The Organizer)

At 3:40 p.m., the draw got underway. The final groupings are as follows:

- Group A: Changshou, Fengjie, Wansheng, Tongnan, Wulong

- Group B: Tongliang, Qianjiang, Yuzhong, Banan, Nanchuan

- Group C: Liangjiang, Pengshui, Kaizhou, Yunyang, Jiulongpo

- Group D: Xiushan, Dadukou, Fuling, Wuxi, Zhongxian

- Group E: Liangping, Wushan, Youyang, Shizhu, Hechuan

- Group F: Jiangjin Yunchen New Energy, Rongchang Pottery, Bishan Wolves, Qijiang Laosichuan, Dazu Rock Carvings

- Group G: Fengdu, Wanzhou, Nan'an, Beibei, Chengkou

- Group H: Shapingba, Gaoxin, Yongchuan, Dianjiang

The draw ceremony took place at the Jiangling Teahouse. (Photo/The Organizer)

The draw produced several "groups of death," particularly Group C, where defending champions Liangjiang will face a stiff challenge from Jiulongpo, which has bolstered its squad with the signings of Wang Weicheng and Zhao Hejing. Liangjiang Linkong captain Hu Xingyu remained confident: "All our group opponents are strong, but we are the champions – we have the belief that we can beat anyone." Jiulongpo head coach Zhang Hao struck a determined note: "We will give our all from the very first match and aim to deliver performances that satisfy our fans."

Release of the theme video for the Chongqing Football League 2026. (Photo/Deng Nan)

The draw also confirmed the opening-day fixture: Changshou will welcome Wulong. A Changshou team representative described the draw as "fortunate" and promised an exciting contest, extending an open invitation to Wulong supporters to come to Changshou. Wulong's representative noted that their squad has a relatively higher average age but expressed hope that they can produce a strong showing and secure a positive result.

The season opener is set for September 12, with Changshou hosting Wulong. (Photo/The Organizer)

Speaking at the ceremony, Du Xueyong, deputy general-director of the Chongqing Municipal Sports Bureau, reviewed the inaugural season and outlined ambitions for the new campaign: "The first CQFL set national records among similar city-level leagues in terms of participation and matches. With 41 teams and 1,548 grassroots players from all walks of life taking the field, and more than 100 million online and offline viewers, the event generated nearly 12.3 billion yuan (approximately $1.81 billion) in cultural, tourism and commercial consumption – a vivid embodiment of Chongqing's city spirit of 'resilience, loyalty, openness and striving for excellence.' Building on that foundation, the 2026 season will be upgraded to a '2.0' edition. Our goals are to make the league more professional, compact, exciting and accessible to the public, through optimized rules, improved support systems, a focus on talent development and deeper integration across sectors, so as to achieve comprehensive quality enhancement."

An opening performance preceded the draw ceremony. (Photo/Deng Nan)