More teams should be absorbed into China's football leagues for fostering more talented professionals and upgrading the national teams, said Zhang Jindong, the owner of Chinese Super League giant Jiangsu Suning on Monday.
Zhang, 54, is the founder and current largest shareholder of the Suning Commerce Group, the electronic retailing giant in China. He is also a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).[Special coverage]
Zhang said that the Chinese Super League, China's top-flight football league, should expand from 16 to 18 or 20 teams.
The Chinese League One, the second-tier league in China, also with 16 teams currently, should be added with four to six teams, and the League Two from 24 to 40 teams, Zhang said.
He also called for upgrading China's University Football League (CUFL) to forge a pyramid of football leagues.
In addition, Zhang urged for the enhancement of football youth training and the enlargement of the football-playing population.
