Qingdao West Coast Football Club issued a statement on Wednesday rejecting recent online reports that it is being acquired, that the team will be renamed, or that it will move to a different home stadium, according to 中国新闻网. The club said none of those claims has been confirmed through official channels, and that as of now it has no plans to change its name or venue.
The statement, reported from Qingdao on November 4, singled out some self-media accounts that had circulated the information. The club said it operates in line with the law and on a steady, standardised basis, and that major matters such as business development and changes in shareholding will be announced only through formal official notices. It asked supporters and the wider public to judge such reports carefully and not to spread unverified claims.
Qingdao West Coast also warned that it reserves the right to pursue legal action against anyone who deliberately fabricates or spreads false information that damages its reputation. It called on the accounts involved to stop publishing and circulating such content and to halt what it described as malicious speculation, urging a healthier and more rational environment for football discussion.
On the pitch, the club sits seventh in the Chinese Super League with a record of eight wins, fifteen draws and six defeats. The team is preparing under head coach Zheng Zhi for its final match of the season, an away fixture against Shanghai Shenhua on November 8.
What to watch next: whether the club issues any formal announcement on ownership or operations, and how it closes out the campaign in Shanghai.
