Chengdu Rongcheng holds a commanding 13-point lead atop the 2026 Chinese Super League table after 22 matchdays, with a 13-6-3 record and plus-20 goal difference that underpins the market's 94% implied probability for the title. Point deductions of five and ten points respectively for defending champions Shanghai Port and runners-up Shanghai Shenhua at the start of the campaign removed two perennial contenders from realistic contention, allowing Chengdu to build and maintain separation despite a recent six-match winless streak that includes a 1-0 loss to Yunnan Yukun. The remaining schedule and squad depth provide limited realistic paths for challengers such as Qingdao West Coast or Dalian Yingbo to close the gap, though a major injury crisis or sustained collapse in form over the final eight rounds could still alter the outcome.