Hong Kong football clubs in dark over new season but pushing ahead with signings

While Hong Kong’s best are in South Korea for the East Asian Football Championship, the city’s top clubs have been accelerating their preparations for the new campaign.

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Not that Tai Po, Eastern, Kitchee, Lee Man and the rest know precisely what they are readying themselves for. The local football association has confirmed Eastern District will be promoted into a new 10-team Premier League, as first reported by the Post

But there is no word on when the new campaign will begin or the design of the competition.

It has been suggested teams could play each other twice before the league is equally split into championship and relegation rounds for a total of 22 matches per side. Last season, which started on August 30, featured nine sides playing each other three times.

The least prestigious of the three cup competitions, the Sapling Cup, appears to have breathed its last. Chan Man-chun, the Southern chairman and convenor of the Hong Kong Premier League committee, has floated the idea of reviving the League Cup, which was discontinued in 2016, with no restriction on foreign players.

Southern celebrate after thumping Lee Man 4-0 in the 2025 Sapling Cup final. Photo: Nora Tam

Various club sources told the Post they remained in the dark over league and cup arrangements for the coming season. This then is what we know the leading teams have been up to.

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