Felicio Brown Forbes (right) of Qingdao Hainiu vies with Huang Ruifeng (left) of Shenzhen FC during the 2023 season Chinese Football Association Super League 16th round match between Qingdao Hainiu and Shenzhen FC in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province, July 12, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

SHENZHEN - The inaugural Chinese Super League (CSL) champions Shenzhen FC has quit the professional football league, the club announced on Monday.

"According to the list of debt-clearing clubs announced by the Chinese Football Association, Shenzhen Football Club failed to pass the professional league's admission for the 2024 season and cannot continue to compete in the professional football league", read the club's announcement.

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Founded in 1994, Shenzhen FC won the first CSL championship in 2004. The outfit finished 16th in CSL last season, thus being relegated to the second tier.

Shenzhen FC added that the club will do its best to carry out all kinds of rehabilitation work.

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"We sincerely wish Shenzhen football and Chinese football better and better, and hope that more people can make concerted efforts to contribute to the revitalization of Shenzhen football and Chinese football", it said.