A mid-season club cup will be introduced for the upcoming 2024-25 CBA League, as announced during the league's press conference on Thursday.

According to Jiang Jian, General Manager of CBA Company, the inaugural CBA Club Cup will follow a tournament format. The group stage is scheduled to take place during the first league break in November, featuring four competition zones with five teams each. After a round-robin format, the top two teams of each group advance to the final stage.

Liu Tianyi (C) of Jilin Northeast Tigers competes during the 11th round match between Jilin Northeast Tigers and Zhejiang Lions at 2023-2024 season of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) league in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Dec. 1, 2023. (Xinhua/Xu Chang)

The finals are set for the second league break in February 2025, where the eight qualifying teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament.

"The CBA Club Cup represents a self-renewal for the CBA. By establishing this cup competition, we pay tribute to the league's 30th season and to Chinese basketball," Jiang said.

Additional adjustments have been made regarding game rounds and foreign player participation. The regular season will now consist of 46 rounds, a decrease from last season's 52. The playoff structure will remain unchanged, utilizing a 3-5-5-7 format from the play-in rounds to the finals.

Teams will be permitted to field four foreign players, with a maximum of seven appearances across games. A maximum of two foreign players may participate in each of the first three quarters, while only one is allowed in the fourth quarter.

The new CBA season will tip off on October 12, featuring a matchup between the promising young squad Zhejiang Golden Bulls and the defending champion Liaoning Flying Leopards. 

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