Chinese Professional Baseball (CPB; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in China. The league was formed in 2025 and began play on 1 January 2026, co-existing with the state-run China Baseball League as the main professional league in the nation. It is organized by Shanghai-based CoolBang Sports.
History The formation of the league was announced on 28 September 2025. The CPB's first draft was held on 26 November 2025, during which the five founding teams selected 57 players from Greater China and overseas. Prominent Taiwanese and international baseball figures were announced to have joined the league, including Lu Wen-sheng, Dae-sung Koo, and Ray Chang, who were selected as managers for the Fuzhou Sea Knights, Shanghai Dragons, and Shenzhen Bluesox respectively.
The league held its first overseas scout tryouts in Miryang, South Korea in May 2026, with roughly ten players entering into contract negotiations with CPB teams.
Two new teams were announced for the Summer League during the 2026 summer draft. The Shanghai Dragons moved to Beijing, becoming the Beijing Loongs. Shanghai's replacement team was announced to be the Shanghai Orcas under head coach Kim Yong-dal ().
Format
Inaugural season The inaugural CPB season opened with the first game of the Spring League () on January 1, 2026. Four founding teams played a total of 30 regular-season games followed by a best-of-three championship series. Spring League games were primarily played at Zhongshan Baseball Park in Nanshan, Shenzhen, with some games played at the Zhongshan International Baseball and Softball Center ("Baseball City") in Zhongshan.
The Summer League () was held from August through September 2026, during which Changsha Want Want Happy and the Shanghai Orcas began play, with the former Shanghai Dragons moving to Beijing. The Xuhui West Bund Baseball Field in Shanghai was added as a primary venue. The league will consist of 45 regular-season games, with the top four teams advancing to the playoffs on September 21. A best-of-three championship series began on September 26.
Later seasons According to the World Baseball Softball Confederation, the 2027 CPB season will largely follow the format of the 2026 season. The league is anticipated to move to a home-and-away schedule for the 2028 season and will retain the Spring League as a preseason spring training series, by which point the league hopes to have achieved "fully professional" state following more investment in player development.
Teams
TeamChinese nameSponsorLocationJoinedBeijing LoongsCP GroupBeijing2026Changsha Want WantWant Want GroupChangsha, Hunan2025Fuzhou Sea KnightsHan Yuan InvestmentFuzhou, Fujian2025Shanghai Orcasnone announcedShanghai2025Shenzhen BluesoxShenzhen Bluesox Culture & TourismShenzhen, Guangdong2025Xiamen DolphinsXiamen Sports PropertiesXiamen, Fujian2025
Culture The league assembled the eight-member CPB Girls cheerleading squad, consisting of famous cheerleaders from Taiwan and others selected from a draft in December 2025. The squad was later expanded to twelve members.
The league debuted a theme song titled "Arrogance", written by Taiwanese singer-songwriter , during a live performance at a Spring League championship series game on 30 January 2026. In addition, each team also has its own fight song.
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