Wuhan Three Towns F.C.

Wuhan Three Towns Football Club (Chinese: 武汉三镇足球俱乐部; pinyin: Wǔhàn Sānzhèn Zúqiú Jùlèbù) is a Chinese professional football club based in Wuhan, Hubei, that competes in the Chinese Super League, the top tier of Chinese football. Wuhan Three Towns plays its home matches at the Wuhan Sports Center, located within Caidian District. Wuhan Three Towns had remarkably gone from playing in the fourth division of Chinese football, to winning the 2022 Chinese Super League in a matter of five years, and had won the league title for each of the top three divisions on its climb up the pyramid.

Wuhan Three Towns
武汉三镇

Full name	Wuhan Three Towns Football Club 武汉三镇足球俱乐部
Founded	2013; 12 years ago (2013) (as Wuhan Shangwen)
Ground	Wuhan Sports Center, Wuhan, China
Capacity	54,000
Chairman	Wang Fang
Head coach	Deng Zhuoxiang
League	Chinese Super League
2024	Chinese Super League, 11th of 16
Home colours Away colours

History

Early history

Wuhan Shangwen logo used between 2013 and 2017

The club was established as Wuhan Shangwen (Simplified Chinese: 武汉尚文) in 2013 by the Wuhan Football Association and private investment from the Wuhan Benhui Group, to mainly focus on the development of youth players.^[1] In 2018, the club started to participate in the Wuhan Super League, and finished second right behind Wuhan Chufeng Heli. They also participated in the 2018 Chinese Champions League, and made it to the final round of 16 before being eliminated by Nanjing Shaye.

Road to winning the Super League

Ranking 11th in the 2018 Chinese Champions League, the club was later admitted into 2019 China League Two to fill the gap left by a withdrawn team, right after changing their name to Wuhan Three Towns F.C. in January 2019.^[2]

Albert Garcia Xicota would be appointed head coach of the club for the 2019 China League Two season and finished eleventh at the end of the season. The following campaign with the club, he would go on to guide them in winning the division title and promotion into the second tier.^[3] In July 2021, Pedro Morilla was appointed as caretaker manager of the club; he had previously worked as techniques director.^[4] In December 2021, he was promoted to manager for winning 14 matches in a row.^[5] This achievement would see Wuhan going on to win the 2021 China League One division and promotion to the top tier.^[6]

On 31 December 2022, Wuhan Three Towns won the 2022 Chinese Super League for the first time after several fixtures were cancelled due to a national COVID-19 outbreak. They were awarded a 3–0 win against Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, who had forfeited due to sick players, and had a better goal difference than Shandong Taishan to top the table.^[7]

On 17 June 2023, Morilla stepped down from his role after only 3 wins from the first 12 league games of the season.^[8] Japanese coach Tsutomu Takahata was appointed as his successor on the following day.^[9]

Wuhan Three Towns away at Beijing Guoan in the 2023 Chinese Super League

On 28 August 2023, the club's investors announced their intention to withdraw funding from the team, as well as selling it for free.^[10]

AFC Champions League debut

Wuhan Three Towns at home against Pohang Steelers in the 2023-24 AFC Champions League

Wuhan Three Towns finished as league champions in the 2022 Chinese Super League season saw them qualified for the 2023–24 AFC Champions League group stage for the first time in the club history. They are drawn in group J with Urawa Red Diamonds, Pohang Steelers and Vietnamese club, Hanoi FC. On 20 September 2023, Wuhan Three Towns played their first ever AFC Champions League match against the defending champions Urawa Red Diamonds, which ended in a 2–2 draw at home.

Name history

• 2013–2018 Wuhan Shangwen F.C. 武汉尚文
• 2019–present Wuhan Three Towns F.C. 武汉三镇

Current squad

First team

As of July 2025^[11]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  CHN Wei Minzhe 2 DF  CHN He Guan (on loan from Shanghai Port) 5 DF  KOR Park Ji-soo 6 MF  CHN Long Wei 7 MF  BRA Gustavo Sauer 8 MF  CHN Wang Jinxian 9 FW  ROU Alexandru Tudorie 10 MF  BRA Darlan 11 FW  COL Manuel Palacios 12 DF  CHN Liao Chengjian 13 MF  CHN Zheng Kaimu 14 GK  CHN Shao Puliang 15 DF  CHN Chen Zhechao 16 DF  CHN Zou Zhenxiang 18 DF  CHN Liu Yiming

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 FW  TPE Will Donkin 23 DF  CHN Ren Hang 25 DF  CHN Deng Hanwen 26 DF  CHN Zhang Tao 28 DF  ITA Denny Wang 29 FW  CHN Zheng Haoqian 30 MF  CHN Zhong Jinbao 41 MF  CHN Xia Xiaoxi 43 DF  CHN Zikrulla Memetimin 45 GK  CHN Guo Jiayu 47 MF  CHN Min Zixi 52 DF  CHN Yu Tianxiang 54 MF  CHN Zhu Wenchuan 56 DF  CHN Zhang Zhenyang 58 DF  CHN Ruan Jingwei 60 GK  CHN Chen Xing 61 FW  CHN Wang Kang

B-team squad

As of March 2025^[12]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 4 DF  CHN Abdurahman Abdukiram 6 DF  CHN Wang Xingqiang 8 MF  CHN He Xinjie 10 MF  CHN Gao Yunan 11 FW  CHN Chen Long 15 MF  CHN Merdanjan Abduklim 21 FW  CHN Damlinjab 23 MF  CHN Tian Chenglong 25 MF  CHN Yue Tianzheng 26 GK  CHN Wei Zichao 33 DF  CHN Xiao Weijie 41 MF  CHN Xia Xiaoxi 42 DF  CHN Wang Pengbo 43 DF  CHN Zikrulla Memetimin

No. Pos. Nation Player 44 FW  CHN Tan Jiaye 45 GK  CHN Guo Jiayu 46 MF  CHN Gu Zhiwei 47 MF  CHN Min Zixi 48 MF  CHN Zhou Wenhao 49 MF  CHN Zou Weiwei 50 DF  CHN Cai Shangmin 51 DF  CHN Ruan Jingyang 52 DF  CHN Yu Tianxiang 53 DF  CHN Yan Zheng 54 MF  CHN Zhu Wenchuan 55 DF  CHN Ke Yifan 56 DF  CHN Zhang Zhenyang 57 MF  CHN Halit Abdugheni 58 DF  CHN Ruan Jingwei 59 GK  CHN He Jianqiu 60 GK  CHN Chen Xing 61 FW  CHN Wang Kang

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  CHN Chen Yuhao (at Yunnan Yukun until 31 December 2025) — MF  CHN Zhang Hui (at Nanjing City until 31 December 2025) — DF  CHN Yu Tianle (at Hubei Istar until 31 December 2025) — MF  CHN Xia Zihao (at Hubei Istar until 31 December 2025) — MF  CHN Xiong Jizheng (at Hubei Istar until 31 December 2025)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  CHN Liu Yue (at Suzhou Dongwu until 31 December 2025) — DF  CHN Shewketjan Tayir (at Nanjing City until 31 December 2025) — DF  CHN You Wenjie (at Guangxi Pingguo until 31 December 2025) — FW  CHN Liu Yiheng (at Lanzhou Longyuan Athletic until 31 December 2025)

Coaching staff

Position	Staff
Head coach	Deng Zhuoxiang
Assistant Coach	Gao Yajun
Goalkeeping coach	Ding Runshan

Source: CFA

Managerial history

• Zeng Qinggao (2018)
• Albert Garcia Xicota (2019–2021)
• Pedro Morilla (2021) (caretaker)
• Pedro Morilla (2021–2023)
• Tsutomu Takahata (2023)
• Ricardo Rodríguez (2024)
• Filipe Martins (2025)
• Deng Zhuoxiang (2025-)

Notable players

The following players had international caps for their respective countries.

Africa Romário Baldé

Latin America Ademilson Wallace

Asia Liu Dianzuo Jiang Zhipeng Deng Hanwen Ren Hang Xie Pengfei Wei Shihao Rong Hao Gao Zhunyi Yaki Yen Park Ji-soo

Europe Nicolae Stanciu

Honours

League

• Chinese Super League
  • Champions (1): 2022
• China League One
  • Champions (1): 2021^[6]
• China League Two
  • Champions (1): 2020^[3]

Cup

• Chinese FA Super Cup
  • Champions (1): 2023

Results

All-time league rankings

As of the end of 2023 season.

Year	Div	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Pos.	FA Cup	Super Cup	AFC	Att./G	Stadium
2018	4	5	4	0	1	13	6	7	9	Group Stage	DNQ	DNQ	DNQ		Tazi Lake Sports Centre
2019	3	9	14	10	6	33	18	15	521	11	R1				Hankou Cultural Sports Centre
2020	3	10	8	0	2	18	5	13	24	1	R1				Hankou Cultural Sports Centre
2021	2	34	25	4	5	73	25	48	79	1	R4				Hankou Cultural Sports Centre
2022	1	34	25	3	6	91	28	63	78	1	QF				Wuhan Sports Centre
2023	1	30	14	9	7	51	35	16	51	7	R4	Winners	GS	15,866	Wuhan Sports Centre
2024	1	30	8	7	15	31	44	−13	31	11	R4	DNQ	DNQ		Wuhan Sports Centre

• ^1 In group stage.

Key

China top division   China second division   China third division   China fourth division W   Winners RU   Runners-up 3   Third place   Relegated

Pld = Played W = Games won D = Games drawn L = Games lost F = Goals for A = Goals against Pts = Points Pos = Final position

DNQ = Did not qualify DNE = Did not enter NH = Not Held WD = Withdrawal  – = Does Not Exist R1 = Round 1 R2 = Round 2 R3 = Round 3 R4 = Round 4

F = Final SF = Semi-finals QF = Quarter-finals R16 = Round of 16 Group = Group stage GS2 = Second Group stage QR1 = First Qualifying Round QR2 = Second Qualifying Round QR3 = Third Qualifying Round

Continental results

Season	Competition	Round	Opposition	Home	Away	Aggregate
2023–24	AFC Champions League	Group J	Urawa Red Diamonds	2–2	1–2	4th out of 4
			Pohang Steelers	1–1	1–3
			Hanoi FC	2–1	1–2

Affiliated clubs

• Shonan Bellmare (2022–present)^[13]