(Yicai Global) May 8 -- With league matches in China suspended by the Covid-19 outbreak, revenues at football clubs have been hit hard. The Chinese Football Association today recommended that they negotiate pay cuts of between 30 percent and 50 percent with players and coaches, including highly paid foreigners.

The pay cuts should apply from March 1 through to one week before the 2020 season starts, the CFA said. The clubs can also delay payments before the season kicks off based on their cash flow situation, but part of the delayed payment should be made within 90 days of the start of the league season, it added.

Despite the unsatisfactory level of Chinese men’s football, player salaries have remained high. The average annual salary of Chinese Super League players is about GBP800,000 (USD990,215), second only to the top five European leagues, according to the 2018 Global Sports Salaries Survey.

To that end, the CFA issued a notice in November asking clubs to suspend new contracts with domestic players until the salary system was “regulated.” CFA Chairman Chen Xuyuan revealed in an interview yesterday that all league teams have suffered different degrees of operational difficulties, with only a few teams profitable.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced professional leagues at all levels to be delayed, which has affected the normal working of clubs. They are facing growing financial pressure, with low income and high labor costs, according to the association.

The CFA had planned to start the 2020 season of the highest level Chinese Super League on Feb. 22 and end all games on Oct. 31, but the coronavirus outbreak has repeatedly delayed the start of the new season.

The CFA will adjust the schedule and the CSL season is currently set to kick off from late next month and run until the end of December, Chen said. League games will start in empty stadiums though crowds will be gradually increased.

Many Chinese real estate or internet giants, including Alibaba Group Holding, China Evergrande Group and Suning.com, have invested in CSL teams.

Editor: Peter Thomas