Among those banned for life are former Chinese internationals Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, Gu Chao, and South Korean player Son Jun-ho.
The Chinese Football Association (CFA) has imposed lifetime bans on 38 players and five club officials following a two-year investigation into match-fixing and gambling.
The probe revealed that 120 matches had been fixed, involving 41 football clubs. Zhang Xiaopeng, a senior official from the Ministry of Public Security, shared these details at a press conference in Dalian, reported by Xinhua News Agency.
The scope of the matches’ locations was not disclosed. Among those banned for life are former Chinese internationals Jin Jingdao, Guo Tianyu, Gu Chao, and South Korean player Son Jun-ho.
Son had been detained in China for 10 months before his release in March, after which he returned to South Korea.
Zhang added that 44 individuals face criminal charges for bribery, gambling, and illegal casino operations, while 17 others were implicated in bribery and match-fixing.
CFA President Song Kai confirmed that 43 of the 44 banned individuals will be permanently barred from football, with 17 receiving five-year bans.
The announcement comes just before a World Cup qualifier in Dalian, where Team China will play Saudi Arabia following a heavy 7-0 defeat to Japan.
Corruption in Chinese football has long been a concern, with fans attributing the men’s national team’s poor performance to such issues. In response, China has intensified its anti-corruption measures.
Recently, a former vice president of the national football association was sentenced to 11 years in prison, and a former competition department director received a seven-year sentence. A former CFA chairman was also sentenced to life imprisonment in March.